Meanings
nounsmell (countable and uncountable, plural smells)
plural smells
- countableuncountableA sensation, pleasant or unpleasant, detected by inhaling air (or, the case of water-breathing animals, water) carrying airborne molecules of a substance.
I love the smell of fresh bread.
1 more example
The penetrating smell of cabbage reached the nose of Toad as he lay prostrate in his misery on the floor, and gave him the idea for a moment that perhaps life was not such a blank and desperate thing as he had imagined. But still he wailed, and kicked with his legs, and refused to be comforted. So the wise girl retired for the time, but, of course, a good deal of the smell of hot cabbage remained behind, as it will do, and Toad, between his sobs, sniffed and reflected, and gradually began to think new and inspiring thoughts: of chivalry, and poetry[…]
1908 October, Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC - countableuncountablemedicineThe sense that detects odours.
In this interest we used the survey to obtain unique data about the memory-evoking power of smell. We found that the stronger the odor, the more likely it was to bring to mind a vivid memory.
1987 October, Avery N. Gilbert and Charles J. Wysocki, “Results of the Smell Survey”, in National Geographic, volume 172, number 4, page 524Synonyms: olfaction, sense of smell
- countableuncountableA conclusion or intuition that a situation is wrong, more complex than it seems, or otherwise inappropriate.
I’m just saying, this has a bad smell to it.
2018 February 8, Carl Schroers, chapter 8, in Wrestling with Time Lost, Lulu Press
verbsmell (third-person singular simple present smells, present participle smelling, simple past and past participle smelled or smelt)
present singular third person smells · participle present smelling · participle past smelled · past smelled · participle past smelt · past smelt
- transitiveTo sense a smell or smells.
I can smell fresh bread.
1 more example
Smell the milk and tell me whether it's gone off.
- broadlytransitiveTo detect or perceive; often with out.
I smell a device.
c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii]
- copulativeintransitiveFollowed by like or of if descriptive: to have a particular smell, whether good or bad.
The roses smell lovely.
4 more examples
Her feet smell of cheese.
The drunkard smelt like a brewery.
Philander went into the next room[…]and came back with a salt mackerel[…]. Next he put the mackerel in a fry-pan, and the shanty began to smell like a Banks boat just in from a v'yage.
1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VIII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLCEste's been losing sleep / Her husband's acting different and it smells like infidelity
2021, Taylor Swift, “No Body, No Crime”- broadlycopulativeintransitiveTo smell of; to have a smell of
I do smell all horse-piss
1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i] - copulativefigurativelyintransitiveTo have a particular tincture or smack of any quality; to savour.
A report smells of calumny.
1 more example
Praises in an enemy are superfluous, or smell of craft.
1649, J[ohn] Milton, ΕΙΚΟΝΟΚΛΆΣΤΗΣ [Eikonoklástēs] […], London: […] Matthew Simmons, […], →OCLC
- obsoleteTo give heed to.
So from that tyme forwarde I began to ſmell the word of god, and forſoke the ſchole doctors and ſuch foolries.
1552, Hughe Latymer [i.e., Hugh Latimer], Augustine Bernher, compiler, “[The First Sermon]”, in Certayn Godly Sermons, Made uppon the Lords Prayer, […], London: […] John Day, […], published 1562, →OCLC, folio 5, verso
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA sensation, pleasant or unpleasant, detected by inhaling air (or, the case of water-breathing animals, water) carrying airborne molecules of a substance.
nounThe sense that detects odours.
Similar
olfactionsense of smell
verbFollowed by like or of if descriptive: to have a particular smell, whether good or bad.
Broader
More synonyms by meaning
nounthe sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form
nounany property detected by the olfactory system
Broader
nounthe general atmosphere of a place or situation and the effect that it has on people
Broader
nounthe faculty that enables us to distinguish scents
Similar
Broader
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*smel-
- Proto-West Germanic*smalljan
- Old English*smiellan
- Middle Englishsmellen
- Englishsmell
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.
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans reuk, reuksin
- reuksensation
- reuksinsense of smell
- ruiksense with nose
- ruikto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Ancient Greek ὀσμή, ὀδμή
- ὀσμή (osmḗ)sensation
- ὀδμή (odmḗ)sensation
- ὀσμή (osmḗ)sense of smell
- ὀδμή (odmḗ)sense of smell
- ὄζω (ózō)to have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Arabic رَائِحَة, رِيحة
- رَائِحَة (rāʔiḥa)sensation
- رِيحة (rīḥa)sensation
- ريحة (rīḥa)sensation
- ريحة (rīḥa)sensation
- ريحة (rīḥa)sensation
- ريحة (rīḥa)sensation
- شَمّ (šamm)sense of smell
- شَمَّ (šamma)sense with nose
- اِشْتَمَّ (ištamma)sense with nose
- شم (šamm)sense with nose
- شَمَّمَ (šammama)to have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Basque usain, usaimen
- usainsensation
- usaimensense of smell
- usaindusense with nose
Bengali গন্ধ, গন্ধ পাওয়া
- গন্ধ (gondho)sensation
- গন্ধ পাওয়া (gondho paōẇa)sense with nose
Bulgarian миризма́, ми́рис
- миризма́ (mirizmá)sensation
- ми́рис (míris)sensation
- обоня́ние (obonjánie)sense of smell
- нюх (njuh)sense of smell
- ми́рис (míris)sense of smell
- ду́ша (dúša)sense with nose
- мири́ша (miríša)sense with nose
- мири́ша (miríša)to have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Catalan olor, flaire
- olorsensation
- flairesensation
- olfactesense of smell
- sentir olor desense with nose
- olorarsense with nose
- odorarsense with nose
- ensumarsense with nose
- flairarsense with nose
- fer olor deto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- flairarto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Chinese видо, 鼻
- видо (vido)sensation
- 鼻 (phīⁿ)sense with nose
Chinese Cantonese 味道, 嗅覺 /嗅觉
- 味道 (mei⁶ dou⁶)sensation
- 嗅覺 /嗅觉 (cau³ kok³)sense of smell
- 聞 /闻 (man⁴)sense with nose
Chinese Mandarin 味道, 味兒 /味儿
- 味道 (wèidao)sensation
- 味兒 /味儿 (wèir)sensation
- 氣味 /气味 (qìwèi)sensation
- 嗅覺 /嗅觉 (xiùjué)sense of smell
- 聞 /闻 (wén)sense with nose
- 嗅 (xiù)sense with nose
- 發出氣味 /发出气味 (fāchū qìwèi)to have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Czech vůně, zápach
- vůněsensation
- zápachsensation
- pachsensation
- čichsense of smell
- cítitsense with nose
- čichatsense with nose
- vonětto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- být cítitto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- páchnoutto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Danish lugt, lugtesans
- lugtsensation
- lugtesanssense of smell
- lugtesense with nose
- lugteto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- dufteto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- stinketo have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Dari بو, بویْ
- بو (bō)sensation
- بویْ (bōy)sensation
Dutch geur, reuk
- geursensation
- reuksensation
- stanksensation
- reukzinsense of smell
- ruikensense with nose
- ruikento have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- geurento have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- stinkento have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Esperanto odoro, flarsenso
- odorosensation
- flarsensosense of smell
- flarisense with nose
- odorito have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Estonian lõhn, haistmismeel
- lõhnsensation
- haistmismeelsense of smell
- haistminesense of smell
- haistmasense with nose
- lõhnamato have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Finnish tuoksu, haju
- tuoksusensation
- hajusensation
- katkusensation
- kärysensation
- kitkusensation
- lemusensation
- dunkkissensation
- döfissensation
- löyhkäsensation
- haisusensation
- aromisensation
- hajuaistisense of smell
- haistaadetect or perceive
- aavistaadetect or perceive
- haistaasense with nose
- tuoksuato have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- haistato have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- löyhkätäto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- lemutato have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- döfätäto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
French odeur, parfum
- odeursensation
- parfumsensation
- goûtsensation
- odoratsense of smell
- sentirsense with nose
- humersense with nose
- flairersense with nose
- odorersense with nose
- sentirto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- exhalerto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- fleurerto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
German Geruch, Geruchssinn
- Geruchsensation
- Geruchssinnsense of smell
- Riechensense of smell
- riechensense with nose
- riechento have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- stinkento have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Greek μυρωδιά, όσφρηση
- μυρωδιά (myrodiá)sensation
- όσφρηση (ósfrisi)sense of smell
- μυρίζω (myrízo)sense with nose
- μυρίζω (myrízo)to have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- ὄσδω (ósdō)to have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Hebrew רֵיחַ, חוש הריח
- רֵיחַ (réakh)sensation
- חוש הריח (khush ha-reykha)sense of smell
- הֵרִיחַ (heríakh)sense with nose
Hindi गंध, बू
- गंध (gandh)sensation
- बू (bū)sensation
- गंधानुभूति (gandhānubhūti)sense of smell
- सूँघना (sūṅghnā)sense with nose
- गँधाना (gandhānā)to have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- महँकना (mahãknā)to have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Hungarian szag, illat
- szagsensation
- illatsensation
- bűzsensation
- szaglássense of smell
- szagolsense with nose
- megszagolsense with nose
- érezsense with nose
- illatozikto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- bűzlikto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- szagúto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- illatúto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- … szaga vanto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- … illata vanto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Icelandic lykt, lyktarskyn
- lyktsensation
- lyktarskynsense of smell
- finna lykt(ina) afsense with nose
- lyktato have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Indonesian bau, aroma
- bausensation
- aromasensation
- penciumansense of smell
- menciumsense with nose
- berbauto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Iranian Persian بو, بویْ
- بو (bu)sensation
- بویْ (buy)sensation
- بویْ (buy)sense of smell
- بویایی (buyâyi)sense of smell
- بوییدَن (buyidan)sense with nose
- اَنْبوییدَن (anbuyidan)sense with nose
- شِنُفْتَن (šenoftan)sense with nose
- بو کَرْدَن (bu kardan)sense with nose
- بو دَاشْتَن (bu dâštan)to have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Irish boladh, bolaigh
- boladhsensation
- bolaighsense with nose
Italian odore, olfatto
- odoresensation
- olfattosense of smell
- odoratosense of smell
- sentire l'odoresense with nose
- fiutaresense with nose
- odorareto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Japanese 匂い, 嗅覚
- 匂い (nioi)sensation
- 嗅覚 (kyūkaku)sense of smell
- 嗅ぐ (kagu)sense with nose
- 匂いを感じる (nioi o kanjiru)sense with nose
- 匂う (niou)to have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Korean 냄새, 후각
- 냄새 (naemsae)sensation
- 후각 (hugak)sense of smell
- 냄새를 맡다 (naemsae-reul matda)sense with nose
- 맡다 (matda)sense with nose
- 냄새가 나다 (naemsae-ga nada)to have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Latin odor, odōrātus
- odorsensation
- odōrātussense of smell
- olfactussense of smell
- olefaciōsense with nose
- olfaciōsense with nose
- oleōto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- fragrōto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Latvian smarža, oža
- smaržasensation
- ožasense of smell
- ostsense with nose
- ostto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Lithuanian kvapas, uoslė
- kvapassensation
- uoslėsense of smell
- uostisense with nose
- uostito have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Malay bau, menghidu
- bausensation
- menghidusense with nose
Māori kakara, mōtuhi
- kakarasensation
- mōtuhisensation
- konakonasensation
- hongisense with nose
- hongihongisense with nose
- whakamonosense with nose
- konakonato have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Norwegian Bokmål lukt, luktesans
- luktsensation
- luktesanssense of smell
- luktesense with nose
- lukteto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- stinketo have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Polish zapach, woń
- zapachsensation
- wońsensation
- pachsensation
- węchsense of smell
- zmysł powonieniasense of smell
- wąchaćsense with nose
- powąchaćsense with nose
- pachniećto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- woniećto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Portuguese cheiro, olfato
- cheirosensation
- olfatosense of smell
- cheirosense of smell
- farosense of smell
- cheirarsense with nose
- cheirarto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Romanian miros, miros
- mirossensation
- mirossense of smell
- mirosisense with nose
- mirosito have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Russian за́пах, вонь
- за́пах (zápax)sensation
- вонь (vonʹ)sensation
- амбре́ (ambrɛ́)sensation
- обоня́ние (obonjánije)sense of smell
- нюх (njux)sense of smell
- чу́вствовать за́пах (čúvstvovatʹ zápax)sense with nose
- ощуща́ть за́пах (oščuščátʹ zápax)sense with nose
- обоня́ть (obonjátʹ)sense with nose
- чу́ять (čújatʹ)sense with nose
- ню́хать (njúxatʹ)sense with nose
- па́хнуть (páxnutʹ)to have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Scottish Gaelic comas-àilidh, fàileadh
- comas-àilidhsensation
- fàileadhsense of smell
Slovak vôňa, pach
- vôňasensation
- pachsensation
- čuchsense of smell
- cítiťsense with nose
- čuchaťsense with nose
- voňaťto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- páchnuťto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Spanish olor, fato
- olorsensation
- fatosensation
- olfatosense of smell
- olersense with nose
- husmearsense with nose
- olorosarsense with nose
- olerto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Swahili harufu
- harufusensation
Swedish lukt, luktsinne
- luktsensation
- luktsinnesense of smell
- luktasense with nose
- luktato have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- doftato have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
- stinkato have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Tamil வாசனை, மணம்
- வாசனை (vācaṉai)sensation
- மணம் (maṇam)sensation
- நாற்றம் (nāṟṟam)sensation
Thai กลิ่น, ดม
- กลิ่น (glìn)sensation
- ดม (dom)sense with nose
- มีกลิ่น (mii glìn)to have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Turkish koku, koklama
- kokusensation
- koklamasense of smell
- koklamaksense with nose
- koku almaksense with nose
- kokmakto have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Ukrainian за́пах, пах
- за́пах (zápax)sensation
- пах (pax)sensation
- нюх (njux)sense of smell
- ню́хати (njúxaty)sense with nose
- чу́яти (čújaty)sense with nose
- чу́ти (čúty)sense with nose
- па́хнути (páxnuty)to have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Urdu بُو, بو
- بُو (bū)sensation
- بو (bo)sensation
- سُونگْھنا (sūnghnā)sense with nose
Vietnamese mùi, hơi
- mùisensation
- hơisensation
- khứu giácsense of smell
- ngửisense with nose
- có mùito have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of"
Welsh arogl, arwynt
- aroglsensation
- arwyntsensation
- sawrsensation
- arogl m or f sawrsense of smell
- aroglisense with nose
Yiddish שמעק, שמעקן
- שמעק (shmek)sensation
- שמעקן (shmekn)sense with nose
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with smell
wellhotellsellcelltelleldelpersonneldellNFLshellfellexcelMichellegeldlmotelspellrebelbellemelmichelSeychelles
All rhymes →Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
smell. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/smell
MLA
“smell.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/smell. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “smell,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/smell.
Source: smell on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.