English
sniff
Sniff comes from Middle English sniffen.
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500sniffen
- Englishearliest quotation 1882sniff
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500sniffen
- Englishearliest quotation 1882sniff
Earliest quotation: 1882, Henry Herman, Henry Arthur Jones: “COOMBE: He got the clinch only last week —…”.
Every English word from Middle English sniffen
Today it means
verb To make a short, audible inhalation, through the nose, as when smelling something; to smell (something).
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Middle English sniffen / sniff