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nostril

nostril

72 1.0
One of the two small openings in the nose that let air in and out
  • noun
  • /ˈnɑːstrəl/
translation icon : fosa nasal
  • The eye and the nostril may run on the affected side, but sometimes the nostril feels blocked.
  • nose and nostrils
  • flared nostrils
  • spray in each nostril

I was told that a bird's nostril is called a nares.

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Examples

  • He pinched his nostrils shut to prevent breathing in the strong smell.

  • It's really good at clearing your nostrils out of the goops.

  • When I get sick, my right nostril is almost useless.

  • I can breathe out of both nostrils which is so nice.

  • Now, I put powder here because my nostrils are quite small.

  • For a moment, the tall man just stood there, nostrils flared as if to test the air.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • You caught the scent of a lesser stag in your nostrils.

  • When I have a cold, my left nostril is completely blocked.

  • She took a deep breath through both nostrils before diving underwater.

Synonyms

anterior naris
vsnostril
  • Specialized
7.1

One of the two outer openings of the nose that let air in

is the general everyday word for that same external nose opening
naris
vsnostril
  • Specialized
9.9

One of the two openings in the nose that let air in while breathing

also lets air leave the nasal cavity as well as enter it

Compounds

internal nostril
  • Specialized
8.0

One of the two openings at the back of the nose that lead to the throat

How Essential

lung
705 1.0
trachea
  • Specialized
14 4.6
nasal cavity
  • Specialized
4 4.2
nostril
72 1.0

Surface Forms

nostril singular
nostrils plural

Morphology

nostril = nose (transparent) = nose + tril

The relation to 'nose' is clear, but the ending '-tril' is an archaic/non-productive element so learners may not deduce the precise sense 'hole/opening' from the form alone.

Etymology

Nostril comes from Old English parts: nose and thyrel, where thyrel meant a 'small hole'. So a nostril is literally a 'nose-hole', which is why it means the openings in your nose for air.