'smoker' is formed from the verb 'smoke' + the agent suffix '-er' (meaning 'one who'), where 'smoke' comes from Old English 'smoca'/'smoc' and the suffix '-er' from Old English '-ere'.

'smoke' appeared in Old English as 'smoca'/'smoc', became Middle English 'smoke', and with the agent suffix '-er' (Old English '-ere') produced the Modern English noun 'smoker' meaning 'one who smokes' or 'that which smokes'.

Originally referring to the visible vapor or an object producing vapor, the sense extended after the introduction of tobacco (16th century) to mean 'one who inhales tobacco smoke'; additionally, 'smoker' came to denote devices for producing smoke for food preservation and certain social gatherings.