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nasal

8 4.2

Having a sound that seems to come through the nose when it is blocked

adjective
/ˈneɪ.zəl/

: nasal

The auctioneer's chant was unmistakably nasal, making it easy to hear his calls from a distance.
nasal tone
a nasal quality

All audio only delivered in DeSantis trademark nasal voice.

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Examples

I always thought it was kind of nasal and pinched.

Sneakers (1992)
Alfred began to sing, his nasal voice bouncing off the roof of his mouth.

Fiction book (1991)
His voice was nasal, the effect of keeping one eye open and the other eye shut.

Fiction book (2002)
Anna, she said my name the wrong way, the A's all nasal, like everybody else.

Fiction book (1999)
The New Jersey accent becomes increasingly nasal the further South one goes.

Oscar (1991)
" The newcomer's voice was high and nasal, almost like a Boston accent.

Fiction book (1999)
"No, I guess you didn't," he said in a nasal voice rough with contempt.

Fiction book (1990)
Maybe you'll move back in with her," she said, in that flat nasal Midwestern voice.

Fiction book (1996)
He has this odd, little, nasal voice and a pompous, fat body.

Mixed Nuts (1994)
To my surprise, the faint flashing stopped, the speakerphone booted up, and a nasal voice said, "Hello?"

Fiction book (2001)

Synonyms

adenoidal

vsnasal

Specialized

1 9.6

Having a nasal voice as if the nose is blocked

is similar but lacks the specific enlarged adenoids cause

pinched

vsnasal

1 8.0

A tight voice that sounds like your nose is blocked

is the general blocked nose quality without extra constriction

Compounds

nasal cavity

Specialized

5 4.2

One of the two hollow spaces inside the nose that lead to the throat and help breathing and smelling

nasal bone

Specialized

2 3.7

One of the two thin bones that form the bridge of the nose

nasal concha

Specialized

1 8.4

A thin curved bone inside the nose that helps warm and filter the air

nasal sinus

Specialized

1 3.7

An air space in the bones near the nose lined with mucus

nasal decongestant

Specialized

1 3.4

A medicine that clears a blocked nose from colds or allergies

nasal twang

1 7.9

A strong voice sound made through the nose common in some accents

nasal septum

Specialized

1 5.0

A wall of bone and cartilage that separates the two nostrils

nasal aspirator

Specialized

1 4.5

A small device that removes mucus from a baby's nose

nasal vowel

Specialized

1 7.5

A vowel sound made when air flows through both the nose and the mouth

nasal syringe

Specialized

1 4.9

A small rubber bulb and tip for gently washing or removing mucus from the nose

deviated nasal septum

Specialized

5.8

A bent wall inside the nose that makes breathing difficult on one side

external nasal vein

Specialized

7.0

A vein that drains blood from the surface of the nose toward a vein in the face

nasal canthus

Specialized

9.9

The inner corner of the eye where the top and bottom eyelids meet near the nose

nasal consonant

Specialized

4.5

A speech sound made by letting air through the nose while the mouth is closed, like m, n, or ng

nasal meatus

Specialized

9.9

A passage inside the nose between curved bony ridges

posterior nasal aperture

Specialized

9.0

An opening at the back of the nose that leads into the upper throat

How Constricted

strangled

4 6.7

pinched

1 8.0

nasal

8 4.2

thin

227 5.2

clear

54 1.0

Surface Forms

nasal positive

Morphology

nasal = nose (semi-transparent) = nas + al

The sound/voice meaning is clearly related to the nose, but it is a slightly extended metaphorical use of the same classical base.

Etymology

Nasal comes from the Latin root nasus, meaning 'nose'. So a nasal voice sounds as if it comes through the nose, like when your nose is blocked.