Pong Is a British Word for a Bad Smell
A pong is an unpleasant smell. The word is informal, British, and of unknown origin.
A pong is an unpleasant smell, and *to pong* is to smell bad. It is firmly British and firmly informal, first recorded around 1900, and its origin is unknown — possibly from Romani *pan*, to stink, though the evidence is thin. Americans rarely use it at all, and where they do it is usually the table-tennis word. *Ping pong* is a separate imitative coinage, and the 1972 video game took its name from that, not from the smell.
- A bad smell. *What a pong.*
- To smell bad. *It pongs in here.*
- Pongy — smelly. *Pongy socks.*
- Ping pong — a separate word. *Ping pong.*
- Unknown origin. *Possibly Romani.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | pong | A pong. |
| Verb | pong | Ponging. |
| Adjective | pongy | Pongy. |
| Related | niff | A niff. |
| Related | whiff | A whiff. |
- There was a terrible pong.Smell.
- The bin is ponging.Verb.
- Pongy trainers.Adjective.
British words for a bad smell
- Pong — the general informal word
- Niff — a milder unpleasant smell
- Whiff — a brief smell, often bad
- Reek — a strong penetrating smell
- Hum — as in *it's humming in here*
Origin unknown, recorded from about 1900, possibly from Romani *pan*, to stink.
Is pong related to ping pong?
No. Ping pong is a separate imitative coinage for the sound of the ball.
Is pong used outside Britain?
Rarely. It is firmly British and Commonwealth informal usage.