mustiest

Adjective

musty (comparative mustier, superlative mustiest)

1. Affected by dampness or mould; damp, mildewed, mouldy.
   • [W]hẽ his wordes be wel ſifted, men ſhall find little fine flowre in thẽ, but all very muſtie branne, not worthy ſo muche as to fede either horſe or hogges.1532, Thomas More, “The Confutacion of [William] Tyndale’s Aunswere […]”, in Wyllyam Rastell [i.e., William Rastell], editor, The Workes of Sir Thomas More Knyght, […], London: […] Iohn Cawod, Iohn...

   Synonyms:

   fusty

2. Having an odour or taste of mould; also (generally), having a stale or unfresh odour or taste.
   • musty food musty furniture a musty odour

   Synonyms:

   fusty

3. Characteristic of or relating to mould or mouldiness.
   • Not knowing what "swipes" might be, I thought I would run the risk and try it; but it proved a miserable beverage, with a musty, sour flavor, as if it had been a decoction of spoiled pickles.1849, Herman Melville, “He Goes to Supper at the Sign of the Baltimore Clipper”, in Redburn: His First Voyage. […], 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC, page 172
4. (figuratively) Of attitudes, ideas, writing, or other abstract things: no longer fresh or interesting; outdated, stale.
   • An antiquarie is an honest man, for he had rather scrape a piece of copper out of the durt, than a crowne out of Plodion's standish. I know manie wise gentlemen of this mustie vocation, […]1592, Thomas Nash[e], Pierce Penilesse His Supplication to the Deuill. […], London: […] [John Charlewood for] Richard Ihones, […], →OCLC

   Synonyms:

   outmoded

5. (figuratively) Of a person: boring and unadventurous; also, old-fashioned, stuck in the past.
   • [T]hey ſettle upon their ovvn dregs, and grovv muddy and muſty vvith long eaſe, and their proſperity befooleth them to their ovvn deſtruction.1637 July (date delivered), Robert Sanderson, “[Ad Aulam.] Sermon VI. Otelands, July 1637.”, in XXXIV Sermons. […], 5th edition, London: […] [A. Clark] for A. Seil, and are to be sold by G....

   Synonyms:

   fogeyish

6. (figuratively, archaic except Northern England (northwest)) Bad-tempered, grumpy, irritable.
   • The ill-vvounded Don Quixote vvas exceeding muſty and melancholy, vvith his face bound vp, and ſcarred not by the hand of God, but by the nayles of a Cat (misfortunes annexed to Knight Errantry) ſixe dayes paſt ere hee came abroad: […]1620, [Miguel de Cervantes], “What Hapned to Don Quixote with Donna Rodriguez, the Duchesses Waiting-woman; with Other Successes, Worthy to be Written, and had in Eternall Remembrance”, in Thomas...

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