Etymology
1. c.1175, "emit or perceive an odor," also n., "odor, aroma, stench," not found in O.E., perhaps cognate with M.Du.
smolen, Low Ger.
smelen "to smolder" (see smolder). OED says "no doubt of O.E. origin, but not recorded, and not represented in any of the cognate languages." Ousted O.E.
stenc (see stench) in most senses. Someone should revive
smell-feast (n.) "one who scents out where free food is to be had" (1519, "very common" c.1540-1700, OED) and
smell-smock "licentious man" (c.1550-1900). To
smell a rat "be suspicious" is from 1550.
2. Etymology tree
3. Proto-Indo-European *smel-der.
4. Proto-West Germanic *smalljan
5. Old English *smiellan
6. Middle English smellen
7. English smell
8. From Middle English smellen, smillen, smyllen, smullen, from Old English *smyllan, *smiellan (“to smell, emit fumes”), from Proto-West Germanic *smallijan (“to glow, burn, smoulder”), from Proto-Indo-European *smel- (“to burn, smoke, smoulder; tar, pitch”). The noun is from Middle English smel, smil, smul (“smell, odour”). Related to Saterland Frisian smeele (“to smoulder”), Middle Dutch smōlen (“to burn, smoulder”) (whence Dutch smeulen (“to smoulder”)), Middle Low German smölen (“to be hazy, be dusty”) (whence Low German smölen (“smoulder”)), Low German smullen (“emit smoke”), West Flemish smoel (“stuffy, muggy, hazy”), Danish smul (“dust, powder”), Lithuanian smilkyti (“to incense, fumigate”), Lithuanian smilkti (“to smudge, smolder, fume, reek”), Lithuanian smalkinti (“to fume”), Middle Irish smál, smól, smúal (“fire, gleed, embers, ashes”), Russian смола́ (smolá, “resin, tar”). Compare smoulder, smother. See: Middle English '
smellen', Frisian, Saterlandic 'smeele', Dutch '
smeulen', Low Saxon 'smölen', Low Saxon 'smullen'.
Verbs referencing "smell"
English
smolder, Sranan
smeri, Tok Pisin smelim.