Funky (cooking)
Etymology
From "funk," an old word for a strong, musty smell, probably from a French dialect word tied to Latin "fumus" (smoke). The food sense sits beside the musical one: in jazz and soul, "funky" traveled from that same earthy pungency to mean deeply grooving and soulful.
adjective · /FUNK-ee/
Having a strong, pungent, pleasantly “off” flavor or smell, typical of fermented and aged foods.
What it names
The appealing edge of blue cheese, fish sauce, natto, and natural wine — the good side of the smell of decay.
Example
The washed-rind cheese was gloriously funky, all barnyard and mushroom.
Related idea
Often a mark of fermentation: the microbes that ferment a food produce the pungent compounds we call funky, which is why aged and cultured foods carry that intensity.
adjective · /FUNK-ee/
Stylishly unconventional and full of earthy, danceable rhythm; relating to funk music.
What it names
a style in music, dress, or attitude
Example
a funky bassline; a funky little jacket
Related idea
Both the “cool” and the “pungent” senses come from jazz slang, where a strong, earthy quality signalled something authentic. Compare effervescent as another word for lively character.