Where does “smoky” come from?
Smoky comes from Middle English smokie, whose ultimate origin and meaning are unknown.
smoky (English): Filled with smoke; Giving off smoke; Of a colour...
Definitions
- Filled with smoke; Giving off smoke; Of a colour...
Ancestry of “smoky”, step by step
smoky traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English smoke
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | smoke | The visible vapor/vapour, gases, and fine... |
| 2 | Middle English | smoke | smoke |
| 3 | Old English | smoca | smoke |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | smukô | smoke, nebulous air |
| 5 | Danish | smug- | secretly |
via Middle English smoky
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | smoky | — |