retronasal

1 9.6

The smell you get through the back of your nose when you eat food

adjective
/ˌrɛtrəˈneɪzəl/

Specialized

: retronasal

The experience of taste depends heavily on retronasal sensations that occur while chewing and swallowing.
retronasal olfactory

Examples

When you eat, retronasal air flow helps you perceive the flavor of the food more fully.
Retronasal olfactory testing

Academic text (2010)
In both groups, "apple" and "cinnamon" in the orthonasal test and "paprika" in the retronasal test were the items that were less frequently correctly identified.

Academic text (2010)
However, no significant difference was observed in the identification of odors in either orthonasal or retronasal olfactory stimulation.

Academic text (2010)
To enjoy wine fully, one must understand the role of retronasal olfaction in flavor perception.

Surface Forms

retronasal positive

Morphology

retronasal = nasal (semi-transparent) = retro + nasal

The components retro- + nasal transparently indicate 'behind or toward the nose', but the term is technical and 'retro-' can be ambiguous to learners.

Etymology

Retronasal combines retro- meaning 'back' and nasal meaning 'nose'. So, retronasal refers to air moving to the back of the nose from the mouth, which is why it helps us sense flavors when we eat.