Where does “odor” come from?
Odor comes from Middle English odour, from Anglo-Norman odour, from Latin odor, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₃ed-.
odor (English): Any smell, whether fragrant or offensive; A...
Definitions
- Any smell, whether fragrant or offensive; A...
Ancestry of “odor”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | odour | A smell or scent; a nasal sensation; A sensation... |
| 2 | Anglo-Norman | odour | — |
| 3 | Old French | odor | smell |
| 4 | Latin | odor | A smell, perfume, stench; Inkling, suggestion |
| 5 | Latin | odōs | — |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | odōs | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃édos | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃ed- | to smell, stink; to hate; to bite |