Where does “odorless” come from?
Odorless derives from Old English -lēas (meaning lacking) combined with Latin odor (smell), which comes from Proto-Indo-European h₃ed- (to smell).
odorless (English): Having no odor
Definitions
- Having no odor
Ancestry of “odorless”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | odor | Any smell, whether fragrant or offensive; A... |
| 2 | Middle English | odour | A smell or scent; a nasal sensation; A sensation... |
| 3 | Anglo-Norman | odour | — |
| 4 | Old French | odor | smell |
| 5 | Latin | odor | A smell, perfume, stench; Inkling, suggestion |
| 6 | Latin | odōs | — |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | odōs | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃édos | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃ed- | to smell, stink; to hate; to bite |