Where does “ill-scented” come from?

ill-scented (English) comes from English ill, from Middle English ille, from Old Norse íllr, from Proto-Germanic ilhilaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₁elḱ-.

ill-scented (English): Having a bad, foul, or unpleasant odor

Definitions

  1. Having a bad, foul, or unpleasant odor

Ancestry of “ill-scented”, step by step

ill-scented traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English ill

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishillEvil; wicked (of people)
2Middle Englishilleevil; wicked
3Old Norseíllrevil, bad
4Proto-Germanicilhilazbad, evil
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁elḱ-

via English scented

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishscentedHaving a pleasant aroma; Having a smell of any...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁elḱ-
ill-scented — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer