English
redolent
Redolent comes from Latin redoleō ‘to emit a scent’, from oleō ‘to smell’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃ed-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃ed-‘to smell’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*odōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEolō‘smell’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEoleō‘to smell’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEredoleō‘to emit a scent’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEredolentempresent participle of redoleō
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400redolent
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1834same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃ed-‘to smell’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*odōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEolō‘smell’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEoleō‘to smell’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEredoleō‘to emit a scent’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEredolentempresent participle of redoleō
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400redolent
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1834same form
Earliest quotation: 1834, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, London: Richard Bentley: “But, in the country, the green fields are so…”
first attested From Middle English redolent (first attested in 1400), from Old French redolent, from Latin redolentem, present participle of redoleō (“to emit a scent”), from red- + oleō (“to smell”) (as stated in the etymology)
The story
From Middle English redolent (first attested in 1400), from Old French redolent, from Latin redolentem, present participle of redoleō (‘to emit a scent’), from red- + oleō (‘to smell’).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₃ed- ‘to smell’
tooth, dental, zinc, annoy, ozone, odor, dent, tusk, egregious, odious, dens, dancy, osmium, odium, 69 more
through Latin oleō ‘to smell’
Today it means
adj Fragrant or aromatic; having a sweet scent.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₃ed- / redolent