'olfaction' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'olfactio' (from the verb 'olfacere'), where the root 'olf-' related to smelling and 'facere' meant 'to make/do'.

'olfaction' changed from the Classical Latin noun 'olfactio' into Late Latin/Medieval Latin usage and was later borrowed into English as 'olfaction' in scientific and medical contexts.

Initially, it meant 'the act of smelling' in Latin, and over time it has retained that basic meaning while also being used in scientific contexts to refer to the sense or system of smell.