English
clairolfaction
Clairolfaction comes from French clair ‘light (of a color)’, from Middle French cler ‘bright, well-lit, not dark’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kelh₁- ‘to call”, “to shout’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kelh₁-‘to call”, “to shout’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEclārus‘clear, bright’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400cler‘bright, well-lit, not dark’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600cler‘bright, well-lit, not dark’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentclair‘light (of a color)’
- Englishtodayclairolfaction
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kelh₁-‘to call”, “to shout’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEclārus‘clear, bright’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400cler‘bright, well-lit, not dark’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600cler‘bright, well-lit, not dark’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentclair‘light (of a color)’
- Englishtodayclairolfaction
A compound of clair + olfaction
Latin olfaciō ‘to smell (transitive)’
Latin olfactus
Middle French olfaction//olefaction
English olfaction
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *kelh₁- ‘to call”, “to shout’
low, hell, claim, classic, calendar, haul, reconciliation, reconcile, classify, proclamation, squeal, reclamation, exclamation, irreconcilable, clamor, clamour, clas, ecclesial, ecclesiastic, conciliar, 36 more
through Latin clārus ‘clear, bright’
declare, clarity, clarification, clarinet, claret, clarion, 11 more
through Old French cler ‘bright, well-lit, not dark’
Today it means
noun The ability to acquire psychic knowledge or information using ones sense of smell
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *kelh₁- / clairolfaction