Foresmell is a rare word that refers to the act of anticipating a smell before it actually manifests. It is spelled as /ˈfɔː(r)smɛl/, where the first syllable "fore" means "before" and "smell" refers to the sense of smell. The "r" in the first syllable is optional and can be pronounced depending on the speaker's dialect. Foresmell may not be a common word, but it can definitely come in handy when describing the experience of predicting an upcoming odor.
The word "foresmell" is a combination of two separate words: "fore" and "smell".
1. "Fore" is derived from the Old English word "fore", meaning "before" or "in front of". It can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic word "fura" and the Proto-Indo-European root "prō" meaning "in front".
2. "Smell" is derived from the Old English word "smele" or "smell", which itself has Germanic roots. It can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root "smel-" meaning "to detect an odor".
When combined, "fore" and "smell" in "foresmell" refer to the ability to detect or sense something ahead of time or in advance, as if one could smell it before it actually happens.