smellfungus

noun

smell·​fun·​gus

ˈsmelˌfəŋgəs

: a captious critic : faultfinder

Word History

Etymology

after Smelfungus, a hypercritical traveler in A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy (1768) by Laurence Sterne †1768 British novelist, who intended this character to satirize Tobias Smollett †1771 British novelist for his descriptions in Travels through France and Italy (1766)

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