'smell' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'smellan' or 'smellian', where the root meant 'to emit or perceive odor'.

'smellan' (Old English) changed into Middle English forms such as 'smellen' and later became the modern English word 'smell'.

Initially, it meant 'to emit or perceive an odor'; over time the core meaning has remained largely the same, though usage expanded to figurative senses (e.g. 'smell a rat').