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
• nasally adverb
• seminasality noun

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

Example Sentences

"It affects everyone because these toxins and heavy metals enter the body directly," he told AFP, describing "burning eyes, phlegm, and nasal inflammation."

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

But her voice—slightly nasal, with conversational phrasing and clipped inflections informed by hip-hop—is instantly identifiable, and conveys intelligence and intimacy while sounding perfectly natural in glittery electronic productions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

It actually worked—fasting allowed him to gradually introduce foods back into his diet, revealing a straightforward gluten intolerance, a condition that, indeed, can be linked to nasal issues.

From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026

SPS affected Dion’s ability to sing by causing a strain on her vocal cords, making her voice sound more nasal.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026

I’d never noticed what an unpleasant, nasal voice she had, and I was surprised by the malice in it.

From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer