Late 19th century; earliest use found in Ray Lankester (1847–1929), zoologist. From Byzantine Greek ὄσϕρα smell (from ancient Greek ὀσϕραίνεσθαι to smell from ὀσ-, reduced form of stem ὀδ- + -ϕραίνεσθαι from ϕρεν-, ϕρήν mind: see phren) + -idium.