English Explanatory Dictionary

nostril

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Either of the two orifices located on the nose (or on the beak of a bird); used as a passage for air and other gases to travel the nasal passages.

Pronunciation

nŏs'trəl /ˈnɒs.tɹɪl/ /ˈnɒs.tɹəl/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-nostril.wav /ˈnɑ.stɹəl/ /ˈnɔs.tɹəl/

Word forms

nostril nostrils nosethirl

Etymology

From Middle English nostrille, from Old English nosþyrel. Compare Old Frisian nosterle (“nostril”), modern West Frisian noaster (“nostrill”). Compare also Middle Low German noster (“nostril”), from Proto-Germanic *nustriz (“nostril”). By surface analysis, nose + thirl (“hole”).

Synonyms

intake nare naris nosehole

Derived words

horsenostrilled internostril nostriled nostrilful nostrility nostrilled septril
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