smutty
Meaning
containing or referring to sexual content in a way that is considered dirty or offensive
soiled or blackened with smut
Structure
Usage
the comedian's act was criticized for its smutty jokes.
he found an old, smutty magazine hidden in the attic.
the corn crop was ruined, the ears all black and smutty.
Etymology
the word 'smutty' originates from the late middle english term 'smut', which referred to a black mark, soot, or a fungal disease that blackens plant grains. this root is of germanic origin, related to low german 'smutt' and german 'schmutz' meaning dirt. the literal sense of being soiled or blackened evolved metaphorically by the late 17th century to describe obscene or indecent language or material, drawing a direct analogy from physical dirt to moral or sexual 'dirtiness'. the suffix '-y' is a productive english denominal adjective former, turning the noun 'smut' into an adjective meaning 'characterized by smut'.
Analysis
smut (of germanic origin, likely low german or dutch; the core element denoting a black mark or soot). y (old english adjective-forming suffix, indicating 'characterized by' or 'full of').