smell

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) A sensation, pleasant or unpleasant, detected by inhaling air (or, the case of water-breathing animals, water) carrying airborne molecules of a substance.
2. (countable, uncountable) The sense that detects odours.
3. (countable, uncountable) A conclusion or intuition that a situation is wrong, more complex than it seems, or otherwise inappropriate.

Verb

1. (transitive) To sense a smell or smells.
2. (broadly, transitive) To sense a smell or smells.
3. (copulative, intransitive) Followed by like or of if descriptive: to have a particular smell, whether good or bad.
4. (broadly, copulative, intransitive) Followed by like or of if descriptive: to have a particular smell, whether good or bad.
5. (copulative, intransitive) Followed by like or of if descriptive: to have a particular smell, whether good or bad.
6. (copulative, figuratively, intransitive) Followed by like or of if descriptive: to have a particular smell, whether good or bad.
7. (obsolete) To give heed to.

Synonyms

odor

scent

odour

sniff

stink

aroma

reek

fragrance

stench

perfume

sense of smell

olfaction

taste

feel

sense

nose

👃

give off an odour

inhale

whiff

smell bad

smelling

flavour

detect

breathe

bad smell

touch

hear

flavor

be fragrant

spirit

smell out

smack

foul

olfactory perception

finger

grope

acrid

kiss

😗

olfactory modality

exhalation

sniffing

snuff

smelliness

smell at

nose out

convey

look

malodorousness

milky

fetor

Translations

odeur

👃

sentir

👃

oler

👃

riechen

👃

Geruch

👃

olor

👃

odore

👃

ruiken

👃

cheirar

👃

odorare

👃

flairer

👃

olfatear

sentire

μυρίζω

geur

Pronounced as (IPA)

/smɛl/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: smellen

Inherited from Old English: *smyllan

Inherited from Middle English: smel

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: smeele

Cognate with Middle Dutch: smolen

Cognate with Dutch: smeulen

Cognate with Middle Low German: smölen

Cognate with Low German: smölen

Cognate with Low German: smullen

Cognate with West Flemish: smoel

Cognate with Danish: smul

Cognate with Lithuanian: smilkyti

Cognate with Lithuanian: smilkti

Cognate with Lithuanian: smalkinti

Cognate with Middle Irish: smál

Cognate with Russian: смола́

In summary

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *smel-
Proto-West Germanic *smalljan
Old English *smiellan
Middle English smellen
English smell
From Middle English smellen, smillen, smyllen, smullen, from Old English *smyllan, *smiellan (“to smell, emit fumes”), from Proto-West Germanic *smallijan (“to glow, burn, smoulder”), from Proto-Indo-European *smel- (“to burn, smoke, smoulder; tar, pitch”). The noun is from Middle English smel, smil, smul (“smell, odour”). Related to Saterland Frisian smeele (“to smoulder”), Middle Dutch smōlen (“to burn, smoulder”) (whence Dutch smeulen (“to smoulder”)), Middle Low German smölen (“to be hazy, be dusty”) (whence Low German smölen (“smoulder”)), Low German smullen (“emit smoke”), West Flemish smoel (“stuffy, muggy, hazy”), Danish smul (“dust, powder”), Lithuanian smilkyti (“to incense, fumigate”), Lithuanian smilkti (“to smudge, smolder, fume, reek”), Lithuanian smalkinti (“to fume”), Middle Irish smál, smól, smúal (“fire, gleed, embers, ashes”), Russian смола́ (smolá, “resin, tar”). Compare smoulder, smother.