Etymology

mephitis

M3E1P3H4I1T1I1S1

Today it means: A poisonous or foul-smelling gas, especially as emitted from the earth; an unpleasant smell. Full definition →

Latin mefītis
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The story

  1. Latin · derived frommefītis
  2. English todaymephitis

From Latin mefītis, mephītis, from the name of a Samnite goddess who personified the poisonous gases emitted from swamps and volcanoes.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.