foul-smelling

the compound adjective 'foul-smelling' is a transparent modern english formation. its first element, 'foul', descends from the old english fūl, which is of germanic origin and relates to concepts of decay and corruption. the second element, 'smelling', derives from the verb 'smell', itself from old english smeallan, meaning to perceive an odor. when combined with the present participle suffix -ing, it forms an adjective meaning 'that smells'. the logic of the compound is straightforwardly literal, directly combining the sense of a highly offensive odor ('foul') with the act of emitting that odor ('smelling').

Structure: foul (offensive) + smelling (emitting an odor) foul (from old english fūl, meaning rotten, putrid; functional role: adjective root describing a negative quality) + smelling (from the verb smell, from old english smeallan; functional role: present participle suffix -ing turning the verb into an adjective meaning 'emitting an odor').