Odorous
/ˈoʊ.dər.əs/noun
Having a noticeable smell, especially a strong or unpleasant one.
Did you know?Odorous ultimately traces back to Latin odor, meaning “smell” or “scent,” a root that also gave English the more common word “odor” and traveled through French before entering English in the 15th century.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂ed-
“to smell, perceive by smell”
Latin
Latin
odor
“smell, scent, odor”
Late Latin
Latin
odōrōsus
“full of smell, fragrant”
Old French
Old French
odorous
“having a smell; fragrant”
14th–15th Century
English
odorous
“having a smell, especially a strong or pleasing one”
Modern English
English
odorous
“having a noticeable smell, especially a strong or unpleasant one”
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