Reeking
/ˈriː.kɪŋ/noun
Giving off a strong, unpleasant smell.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from a Germanic root meaning “smoke” or “vapor,” which is why it originally described rising fumes before it became a word for stink.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*rūkiz
“smoke, vapor, fumes”
Old English
OE
rēoc
“smoky, reeking, emitting smoke”
Middle English
ME
reken
“to emit smoke or steam; later, to give off an unpleasant smell”
Modern English
English
reek
“to give off a strong odor, especially an unpleasant one”
Modern English
English
reeking
“giving off a strong, unpleasant smell”