nasal

¹ American  

[ney-zuhl] / ˈneɪ zəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to the nose.

   the nasal cavity.

2. Phonetics. pronounced with the voice issuing through the nose, either partly, as in French nasal vowels, or entirely (as in m, n, or the ng ofsong ).

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noun

1. Phonetics. a nasal speech sound.

nasal ² American  

[ney-zuhl] / ˈneɪ zəl /

noun

Armor.

1. a bar or narrow plate used with an open helmet as a defense for the nose.

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nasal British  

/ ˈneɪzəl, neɪˈzælɪtɪ /

adjective

1. of or relating to the nose

2. phonetics pronounced with the soft palate lowered allowing air to escape via the nasal cavity instead of or as well as through the mouth

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noun

1. a nasal speech sound, such as English m, n, or ng

2. another word for nosepiece

nasal Scientific  

/ nā′zəl /

1. Relating to or involving the nose.

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Other Word Forms

• nasalism
  noun
• nasality
  noun
• seminasality
  noun
• nasally
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of nasal¹

1375–1425; late Middle English (adj.) < Medieval Latin *nāsālis, equivalent to Latin nās ( us ) nose + -ālis -al ¹

Origin of nasal²

First recorded in 1470–80; late Middle English, from Medieval Latin nāsāle, noun use of neuter of nāsālis (unattested) nasal ¹ ( def. ); replacing Middle English nasel, from Middle French, from Medieval Latin, as above

Explanation

Anything nasal relates to the nose, including a nasal voice that you can make by pinching your nose. Just as optical things relate to the eyes, nasal things relate to the nose. Your nostrils lead to your nasal passages, and if your septum (the middle part of your nose) needed to be repaired, it would require nasal surgery. Also, this word is commonly used to describe a kind of exaggerated, wheezy tone of voice that you can imitate by pinching your nose. Some people's voices are naturally nasal, like the singer Bob Dylan.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nasal

While Mr. Richman’s vocals retained punk’s nasal, monochromatic tone, his songs were dorky and witty, channeling Buddy Holly, Gene Vincent and Freddie and the Dreamers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

The 25-year-old took another medical timeout at 5-5 in the third set after appearing to struggle with a nasal problem.

From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026

Researchers at Texas A&M University say they may have found a way to do just that using a simple nasal spray designed to reduce inflammation in the brain.

From Science Daily ● May 26, 2026

Its lead asset, a nasal spray called BPL-003, is slated to enter Phase 3 trials later this quarter, targeting patients with treatment-resistant depression.

From Barron's ● Apr. 20, 2026

He recognized the slightly nasal voice of Detective Debbie Newberg.

From "Small Steps" by Louis Sachar