nostril

Meaning

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.

Synonyms

naris

nose

👃

anterior naris

nostrils

nosehole

snout

hole

🕳️

nasal passage

hollow

nozzle of bellows

Translations

narine

Nasenloch

neusgat

narina

naseau

Nüster

trou de nez

neusvleugel

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈnɒs.tɹɪl/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: nostrille

Inherited from Old English: nosþȳrel

Cognate with Old Frisian: nosterle

Cognate with Middle Low German: noster

In summary

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