*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of smoke

From Middle English smoke, from Old English smoca (“smoke”), probably a derivative of the verb (see below). Related to Dutch smook (“smoke”), Middle Low German smôk (“smoke”), German Schmauch (“smoke (from a gun barrel)”

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗
noun

The visible vapor/vapour, gases, and fine particles given off by burning or smoldering material. · A cigarette. · Anything to smoke (e.g. cigarettes, marijuana, etc.) · An instance of smoking a cigarette, cigar, etc.; the duration of this act.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English smoke, from Old English smoca (“smoke”), probably a derivative of the verb (see below). Related to Dutch smook (“smoke”), Middle Low German smôk (“smoke”), German Schmauch (“smoke (from a gun barrel)”).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Inherited-form mentionsmokeenm
  • Inherited-form mentionsmocaang
  • Cognate mentionsmooknl · smoke
  • Cognate mentionsmôkgml · smoke
  • Cognate mentionSchmauchde · smoke (from a gun barrel)

This page abbreviates 9 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:smoke",
        "id": "noun"
      },
      "expansion": "[Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"smoke\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"smoke\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"noun\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"smoke\" id=\"English:_noun\">"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "smoke"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English smoke"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "smoca",
        "4": "",
        "5": "smoke"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English smoca (“smoke”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "nl",
        "2": "smook",
        "t": "smoke"
      },
      "expansion": "Dutch smook (“smoke”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "gml",
        "2": "smôk",
        "t": "smoke"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle Low German smôk (“smoke”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "Schmauch",
        "t": "smoke (from a gun barrel)"
      },
      "expansion": "German Schmauch (“smoke (from a gun barrel)”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:smoke",
        "id": "noun"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "smoke",
      "smoke#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "smoca",
      "smoca#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "smook",
      "smook#Dutch"
    ],
    [
      "smôk",
      "smok#Middle_Low_German"
    ],
    [
      "Schmauch",
      "Schmauch#German"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "The visible vapor/vapour, gases, and fine particles given off by burning or smoldering material.",
        "A cigarette.",
        "Anything to smoke (e.g. cigarettes, marijuana, etc.)",
        "An instance of smoking a cigarette, cigar, etc.; the duration of this act."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable",
        "colloquial",
        "countable"
      ],
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  }
}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
verb

To inhale and exhale the smoke from a burning cigarette or cigar, burning material in a pipe, etc. · To inhale and exhale tobacco smoke. · To give off smoke. · Of a fire in a fireplace, to emit smoke outward instead of up the chimney, owing to imperfect draught.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English smoken, from Old English smocian (“to smoke, to emit smoke”), from Proto-West Germanic *smokōn, from Proto-Germanic *smukōną (“to smoke”), ablaut derivative of Proto-Germanic *smaukaną (“to smoke”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)mewg- (“to smoke”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian smookje (“to smoke”), West Frisian smoke (“to smoke”), Dutch smoken (“to smoke”), Low German smöken (“to smoke”), German Low German smoken (“to smoke”). Related also to Old English smēocan (“to smoke, emit smoke; fumigate”), Bavarian schmuckelen (“to smell bad, reek”).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Inherited-form mentionsmokenenm
  • Inherited-form mentionsmocianang · to smoke, to emit smoke
  • Inherited-form mention*smokōngmw-pro
  • Inherited-form mention*smukōnągem-pro · to smoke
  • Derivation mention*smaukanągem-pro · to smoke
  • Derivation mention*(s)mewg-ine-pro · to smoke
  • Cognate mentionsmookjestq · to smoke
  • Cognate mentionsmokefy · to smoke
  • Cognate mentionsmokennl · to smoke
  • Cognate mentionsmökennds · to smoke
  • Cognate mentionsmēocanang · to smoke, emit smoke; fumigate
  • Cognate mentionschmuckelenbar · to smell bad, reek

This page abbreviates 16 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "sno",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "to inhale smoke",
        "pos": "0"
      },
      "expansion": "etymology 2 sense 1"
    },
    {
      "name": "sno",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "to prepare food",
        "pos": "0"
      },
      "expansion": "etymology 2 sense 4"
    },
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:smoken",
        "id": "verb"
      },
      "expansion": "[Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"smoke\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"verb\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"smoke\" id=\"English:_verb\">"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "smoken"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English smoken"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "smocian",
        "t": "to smoke, to emit smoke"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English smocian (“to smoke, to emit smoke”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*smokōn"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *smokōn"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*smukōną",
        "t": "to smoke"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *smukōną (“to smoke”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*smaukaną",
        "t": "to smoke"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *smaukaną (“to smoke”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*(s)mewg-",
        "t": "to smoke"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *(s)mewg- (“to smoke”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "stq",
        "2": "smookje",
        "t": "to smoke"
      },
      "expansion": "Saterland Frisian smookje (“to smoke”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "fy",
        "2": "smoke",
        "t": "to smoke"
      },
      "expansion": "West Frisian smoke (“to smoke”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "nl",
        "2": "smoken",
        "t": "to smoke"
      },
      "expansion": "Dutch smoken (“to smoke”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "nds",
        "2": "smöken",
        "t": "to smoke"
      },
      "expansion": "Low German smöken (“to smoke”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "nds-de",
        "2": "smoken",
        "t": "to smoke"
      },
      "expansion": "German Low German smoken (“to smoke”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "ang",
        "2": "smēocan",
        "t": "to smoke, emit smoke; fumigate"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English smēocan (“to smoke, emit smoke; fumigate”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "bar",
        "2": "schmuckelen",
        "t": "to smell bad, reek"
      },
      "expansion": "Bavarian schmuckelen (“to smell bad, reek”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:smoken",
        "id": "verb"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "smoken",
      "smoken#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "smocian",
      "smocian#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "*smokōn",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/smokōn"
    ],
    [
      "*smukōną",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/smukōną"
    ],
    [
      "*smaukaną",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/smaukaną"
    ],
    [
      "*(s)mewg-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/(s)mewg-"
    ],
    [
      "smookje",
      "smookje#Saterland_Frisian"
    ],
    [
      "smoke",
      "smoke#West_Frisian"
    ],
    [
      "smoken",
      "smoken#Dutch"
    ],
    [
      "smöken",
      "smöken#Low_German"
    ],
    [
      "smoken",
      "smoken#Low_German"
    ],
    [
      "smēocan",
      "smeocan#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "schmuckelen",
      "schmuckelen#Bavarian"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "Sranan Tongo",
      "lang_code": "srn",
      "word": "smoko"
    },
    {
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "lang_code": "nl",
      "word": "smoken",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    },
    {
      "lang": "Welsh",
      "lang_code": "cy",
      "word": "smocio",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To inhale and exhale the smoke from a burning cigarette or cigar, burning material in a pipe, etc.",
        "To inhale and exhale tobacco smoke.",
        "To give off smoke.",
        "Of a fire in a fireplace, to emit smoke outward instead of up the chimney, owing to imperfect draught."
      ],
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        "transitive",
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    "lexicalSenses": 16,
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}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for smoke →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-c21va2U