Online Etymology Dictionary

smell (v.): 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.
odor: c.1300, from Anglo-Fr. odour, from O.Fr. odor (Fr. odeur), from L. odorem (nom. odor) "smell, scent," from PIE *od- (cf. L. olere "emit a smell, to smell of," with Sabine -l- for -d-; Gk. ozein "to smell;" Armenian hotim "I smell;" Lith. uodziu "to smell"). Odorous "fragrant" (1550) is from M.L. odorosus, from L. odorus "having a smell," from odor. Good or bad odor, in ref. to repute, estimation, is from 1835. Odor of sanctity (1756) is from Fr. odeur de sainteté (17c.) "sweet or balsamic scent said to be exhaled by the bodies of eminent saints at death or upon disinterment."
stench: O.E. stenc "a smell" (either pleasant or unpleasant), from P.Gmc. *stankwiz (cf. O.S. stanc, O.H.G. stanch, Ger. stank). Related to stincan "emit a smell" (see stink) as drench is to drink. The notion of "evil smell" predominated from c.1200.
osmium: metallic element, 1803, coined in Mod.L. by its discoverer, Eng. chemist Smithson Tennant (1761-1815) from Gk. osme "smell, odor" (cognate with L. odor, see odor). So called for the strong smell of its oxide.
flavor: c.1300, "a smell, odor," from O.Fr. flaour "smell, odor," from V.L. flator "odor," lit. "that which blows," from L. flator "blower," from flare "to blow, puff," which is cognate with O.E. blawan (see blow (v.1)). The same V.L. source produced O.It. fiatore "a bad odor." Sense of "taste, savor" is 1697, originally "the element in taste which depends on the sense of smell." The -v- is perhaps from infl. of savor.
olfaction: noun of action from L. olfacere “to smell” (trans.), from olere “to emit a smell” (see odor) + facere “to make” (see factitious).
anosmia: "loss of sense of smell," Mod.L., from Gk. an-, privative prefix, + osme "smell" (Doric odme), from *odsme, cognate with L. odor (see odor).
breath: O.E. bræð "odor, scent, stink, exhalation, vapor" (O.E. word for "air exhaled from the lungs" was æðm), from P.Gmc. *bræthaz "smell, exhalation" (cf. O.H.G. bradam, Ger. Brodem "breath, steam"), from PIE base *gwhre- "to breathe, smell."
stink: O.E. stincan "emit a smell of any kind" (class III strong verb; past tense stonc), from W.Gmc. *stenkwanan (cf. O.S. stincan, O.H.G. stinkan, Du. stinken), from the root of stench. O.E. swote stincan "to smell sweet," but offensive sense began O.E. and was primary by mid-13c.; smell now tends the same way. Figurative meaning "be offensive" is from early 13c.; meaning "be inept" is recorded from 1924. The noun is attested from c.1300; sense of "extensive fuss" first recorded 1812. Stinking in ref. to "drunk" first attested 1887; stinking rich dates from 1956. To stink to high heaven first recorded 1963. Stinker as a term of abuse (often banteringly) is attested from c.1600; also in the same sense was stinkard (c.1600).
olfactory: 1658, from L. olfactorius, from olfactus, pp. of olfacere "to get the smell of, sniff," from olere "give off a smell of" (see odor) + facere "make" (see factitious).
brach: "bitch hound" (archaic), mid-14c., brache, originally "hound that hunts by scent," from O.Fr. brache, brachet, of W.Gmc. origin (cf. M.Du. brache, O.H.G. braccho "hound, setter"), from PIE *bhrag- (cf. M.H.G. bræhen "to smell," L. fragrare "to smell sweetly"). It. bracco is a Germanic loan word.
reek (n.): O.E. rec (Anglian), riec (W.Saxon), "smoke from burning material," probably from O.N. reykr (cf. Reykjavik, lit. "smoky bay"), from P.Gmc. *raukiz (cf. O.Fris. rek, M.Du. rooc, O.H.G. rouh, Ger. Rauch "smoke, steam"), apparently not found outside Gmc. Sense of "stench" is attested 1659, via the notion of "that which rises." The verb is from O.E. recan (Anglian), reocan (W.Saxon), from P.Gmc. *reukanan (cf. Ger. rauchen "to smoke," riechen "to smell"). Originally "to emit smoke;" meaning "to emit a bad smell" is recorded from 1710.
trail (n.): c.1300, "train of a robe," from the source of trail (v.). The meaning "track or smell left by a person or animal" is also from 1590. Meaning "path or track worn in wilderness" is attested from 1807.
frowsty: "having an unpleasant smell," 1865, of unknown origin; perhaps related to O.Fr. frouste "ruinous, decayed," or to O.E. þroh "rancid;" both of which also are of uncertain origin.
sniff: mid-14c., of imitative origin; possibly related to snyvelen (see snivel). As a synonym for smell (v.) it dates from 1845. In ref. to cocaine from 1925. The noun is first recorded 1767; the scornful sense is from 1859.
deodorant: 1869 (deodorize is 1858), formed in Eng. as if from L. odorem "smell." An earlier version, a perfumed powder, was called empasm (1657), from Gk. *empasma "to sprinkle on."
ozone: 1840, from Ger. Ozon, coined in 1840 by Ger. chemist Christian Friedrich Schönbein (1799-1868) from Gk. ozon, neut. prp. of ozein "to smell." So called for its pungent odor.
funk (2): "bad smell," 1620s, from dialectal Fr. funkière "smoke," from O.Fr. fungier "give off smoke," from L. fumigare "to smoke." In reference to a style of music, it is first attested 1959, a back formation from funky.
feist: also fist, “foul smell, fart,” mid-15c. (O.E. had prp. fisting), a general W.Gmc. word; cf. M.Du. veest, Du. vijst (see feisty).
fetid: 1590s, from L. fetidus, foetidus "stinking," from fetere "have a bad smell, stink." Perhaps connected with fimus "dung," or with fumus "smoke."
savory (adj.): "pleasing in taste or smell," early 13c., from O.Fr. savoure (Fr. savoré), pp. of savourer "to taste" (see savor).
fragrant: c.1500, from L. fragrantem (nom. fragrans) "sweet-smelling," prp. of fragrare "emit (a sweet) odor," cognate with M.H.G. bræhen "to smell," M.Du. bracke, O.H.G. braccho "hound, setter" (see brach).
smelt (n.): O.E. smelt "small salmon-like sea fish," cognate with Du. smelt "sand eel," Dan. smelt (c.1600). OED notes that it has a peculiar odor (but doesn't suggest a connection with smell); Klein suggests a connection with the way the fish melts in one's mouth.
acrylic (adj.): 1855, "of or containing acryl," a substance derived from garlic and onion, from acrolein, from L. acer "sharp" (see acrid) + olere "to smell" (see odor). Modern senses often short for acrylic fiber, resin, etc.
redolent: c.1400, from O.Fr. redolent "emitting an odor," from L. redolentem, prp. of redolere "emit a scent," from re-, intensive prefix + olere "give off a smell" (see odor).
Chicago: town founded in 1833, named from a Canadian Fr. form of an Algonquian word, either Fox /sheka:ko:heki "place of the wild onion," or Ojibwa shika:konk "at the skunk place" (sometimes rendered "place of the bad smell"). The Ojibwa "skunk" word is distantly related to the New England Algonquian word that yielded Mod. Eng. skunk.
flair: mid-14c., "an odor," from O.Fr. flair "odor or scent," from flairer "to smell," from L.L. fragrare "emit (a sweet) odor" (see fragrant), with shift of -r- to -l- by dissimilation. Sense of "special aptitude" is Amer.Eng. 1925, perhaps from notion of a hound's ability to track scent.
scent (v.): c.1400, from O.Fr. sentir "to feel, perceive, smell," from L. sentire " to feel, perceive, sense" (see sense). Originally a hunting term. The -c- appeared 17c., perhaps by influence of ascent, descent, etc., or by influence of science. The noun is first recorded late 14c. Almost always applied to agreeable odors.
sagacity: 1540s, from M.Fr. sagacité, from L. sagacitatem (nom. sagacitas) "quality of being acute," from sagax (gen. sagacis) "of quick perception," related to sagus "prophetic," sagire "perceive keenly," from PIE base *sag- "to track down, trace, seek" (cf. O.E. secan "to seek;" see seek). Also used 17c.-18c. of animals, meaning "acute sense of smell."
pismire: late 14c., from pyss "urine" (in reference to the acrid smell of an anthill) + mire "an ant," probably from O.N. maurr "ant," perhaps distantly connected with Gk. myrmex, L. formica "ant." Cf. pissant, also early Du. mierseycke (from seycke "urine"), Finn. kusiainen (from kusi "urine").
"He is as angry as a pissemyre,
Though þat he haue al that he kan desire."
[Chaucer]
Applied contemptuously to persons from 1560s.
musk: late 14c., from O.Fr. musc (13c.), from L.L. muscus, from Late Gk. moskhos, from Pers. mushk, from Skt. muska-s "testicle," from mus "mouse" (so called, presumably, for resemblance; see muscle). The deer gland was thought to resemble a scrotum. Ger. has moschos, from a M.L. form of the Late Gk. word. Sp. has almizcle, from Arabic al misk "the musk," from Persian. Applied to various plants and animals of similar smell (e.g. musk-ox, 1744).
rank (adj.): O.E. ranc "proud, overbearing, showy," from P.Gmc. *rankaz (cf. Dan. rank "right, upright," Ger. rank "slender," O.N. rakkr "straight, erect"), perhaps from PIE *reg- "to stretch, straighten" (see right). In ref. to plant growth, "vigorous, luxuriant," it is recorded from mid-13c. Sense evolved in M.E. to "large and coarse" (c.1300), then, via notion of "excessive and unpleasant," to "having a strong bad smell" (1520s). Much used 16c. as a pejorative intensive (cf. rank folly). This is possibly the source of the verb meaning "to reveal another's guilt" (1929, underworld slang), and that of "to harass, abuse," 1934, U.S. black dialect, though this also may be from the role of the activity in establishing social hierarchy (from rank (n.)).
lachrymose: 1661, "tear-like," from L. lacrimosus "tearful, sorrowful," from lacrima "tear," a dialect-altered borrowing of Gk. dakryma "tear," from dakryein "to shed tears," from dakry "tear," from PIE *dakru-/*draku- (see tear (n.)). Meaning "given to tears, tearful" is first attested 1727; meaning "of a mournful character" is from 1822. The -d- to -l- alteration in L. is the so-called "Sabine -L-," cf. L. olere "smell," from root of odor, and Ulixes, the L. form of Gk. Odysseus.
mustard: 1190, from O.Fr. moustarde, from moust "must," from L. mustum "new wine" (see must (n.1)); so called because it was originally prepared by adding must to the ground seeds of the plant to make a paste. As a color name, it is attested from 1848. Mustard gas, World War I poison (first used by the Germans at Ypres, 1917), so called for its color and smell and burning effect on eyes and lungs; chemical name is dichlordiethyl sulfide, it contains no mustard, and is an atomized liquid, not a gas. To cut the mustard (1907, usually in negative) is probably from slang mustard "genuine article, best thing" (1903) on notion of "that which enhances flavor."
"I'm not headlined in the bills, but I'm the mustard in the salad dressing just the same." [O.Henry, "Cabbages and Kings," 1904]
weasel: O.E. weosule, wesle "weasel," from P.Gmc. *wisulon (cf. O.N. visla, M.Du. wesel, Du. wezel, O.H.G. wisula, Ger. Wiesel), probably related to P.Gmc. *wisand- "bison" (see bison), with a base sense of "stinking animal," because both animals have a foul, musky smell (cf. L. vissio "stench"). The verb "to deprive (a word or phrase) of its meaning" is first attested 1900, so used because the weasel sucks out the contents of eggs, leaving the shell intact; the sense of "extricate oneself (from a difficult place) like a weasel" is first recorded 1925; that of "to evade and equivocate" is from 1956. A John Wesilheued ("John Weaselhead") turns up on the Lincolnshire Assize Rolls for 1384, but the name seems not to have endured, for some reason.
animus: 1820, "temper" (usually in a hostile sense), from L. animus "soul, mind, courage, desire," related to anima "living being, soul, mind, disposition, passion, courage, anger, spirit, feeling," from PIE base *ane- "to blow, to breathe" (cf. Gk. anemos "wind," Skt. aniti "breathes," O.Ir. anal, Welsh anadl "breath," O.Ir. animm "soul," Goth. uzanan "to exhale," O.N. anda "to breathe," O.E. eðian "to breathe," O.C.S. vonja "smell, breath," Arm. anjn "soul"). It has no plural. As a term in Jungian psychology for the masc. component of a fem. personality, it dates from 1923.
rat: O.E. ræt. Similar words in Celtic (Gael. radan), Romance (It. ratto, Sp. rata, Fr. rat) and Gmc. (M.L.G. rotte, Ger. ratte) languages, but connection is uncertain and origin unknown. Perhaps from V.L. *rattus, but Weekley thinks this is of Gmc. origin, "the animal having come from the East with the race-migrations" and the word passing thence to the Romanic languages. American Heritage and Tucker connect O.E. ræt to L. rodere and thus PIE *red- "to scrape, scratch, gnaw," source of rodent (q.v.). Klein says there is no connection and suggests a possible cognate in Gk. rhine "file, rasp." Weekley connects them with a question mark and Barnhart writes, "the relationship to each other of the Germanic, Romance, and Celtic words for rat is uncertain." OED says "probable" the rat word spread from Germanic to Romance, but takes no position on ultimate origin. M.E. common form was ratton, from augmented O.Fr. form raton. Sense of "one who abandons his associates" (1629) is from belief that rats leave a ship about to sink or a house about to fall and led to meaning "traitor, informant" (1902; verb 1910). Interjection rats is Amer.Eng., 1886. To smell a rat is c.1550. Rat-race "competitive struggle" is 1939. Ratsbane (1523) is arsenic. Rat fink is teen slang from 1963. Rathole in fig. sense of "nasty, messy place" first attested 1812. _____-rat, "person who frequents _____" (in earliest ref. dock-rat) is from 1864. Rat-pack "juvenile gang" is from 1951.