Where does “smellable” come from?
smellable (English) comes from English able, from Middle English able, from Old French able, from Latin habilis, from Latin -ilis, from Proto-Italic -elis, from Proto-Indo-European -elis, from Proto-Indo-European -lós — Forms agent nouns from verbal roots.
smellable (English): That can be detected by smell
Definitions
- That can be detected by smell
Ancestry of “smellable”, step by step
smellable traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English able
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | able | Easy to use; Suitable; competent; Liable to |
| 2 | Middle English | able | capable, expert, qualified, skilful, competent |
| 3 | Old French | able | able; capable |
| 4 | Latin | habilis | able to have/possess/maintain; having sufficient... |
| 5 | Latin | -ilis | -ile |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | -elis | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -elis | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -lós | Forms agent nouns from verbal roots |
via English smell
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | smell | A sensation, pleasant or unpleasant, detected by... |
| 2 | Middle English | smellen | To sense a smell or smells; To give off an odor;... |
| 3 | Old English | smiellan | to fume, reek |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | smallijan | to glow, burn, smoulder |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | smel- | to burn, smoulder, smoke; tar, pitch; to burn,... |