'smoking' originates from English 'smoke' + the gerund/participle suffix '-ing', where 'smoke' meant 'to emit or be filled with smoke'.

'smoke' comes from Old English words such as 'smoca'/'smoc', related to Germanic roots for smoke; the modern English 'smoke' developed through Middle English, and the modern form 'smoking' arose by adding '-ing' to form the action or process.

Initially it referred primarily to the physical action or condition of producing smoke; over time it also came to denote the habitual inhalation of tobacco and extended senses (e.g., food preservation or informal senses like 'very attractive').