phenolic.

Relating to phenol or compounds containing a related chemical group, including a characteristic odor described by that association.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• a phenolic odor
• phenolic resin

On the page

A phenolic odor lingered near the freshly treated surface.

The report specified phenolic resin rather than treating the smell as proof of the material.

Usage notes

Primary category: sensory / description. Forms: Relational or descriptive adjective; more/most only where a natural degree exists. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings.