nostril
Americannoun
-
nostrils
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of nostril
before 1000; Middle English nostrill, Old English nosterl, variant of nosthyrl, equivalent to nos ( u ) nose + thyrel hole; see thirl
Explanation
A nostril is one of the two holes in your nose through which you breathe, smell, and (sometimes) sneeze. Try not to get anything stuck in your nostrils; they're important passageways! Your nostrils are extremely important, since they provide a direct connection to your lungs — for air — and your olfactory nerves, which your body uses to smell things. You are almost certainly aware of your two external nostrils, but you may not know that you've got two more, inside your head at the very back of the nasal cavity. Most animals have nostrils, even fish — though they use theirs only for smelling, not for breathing. Fittingly, the Old English source of nostril, nosðirl, translates to "the hole of the nose."
Vocabulary lists containing nostril
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
This one performed the same series of tests: A camera went into my nostril.
From Slate ● Apr. 18, 2026
Scientists say the strangest detail is a prong-like bone near its nostril.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2025
McPeek also had the horse scoped, where a tube is inserted in the horse’s nostril and then pushed down to see if there are any respiratory issues, and that apparently came back good.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 11, 2024
They introduced these virus suspensions drop-by-drop into each nostril of the piglets and monitored them for 5 days to see whether they displayed any symptoms, including changes in body temperature.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 18, 2024
I should wonder what courage—which is the virtue they most value—has to do with a metal ring through your nostril.
From "Divergent" by Veronica Roth
The species also had a snout that extended farther beyond its nostrils than those of other crocodiles living at the time.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 13, 2026
Nurses and doctors wore biohazard suits and three layers of medical gloves when they entered his room, swabbing him for virus up his nostrils and in other sites like his eyelids twice a day.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 12, 2026
Pasadena Humane veterinarians placed a stent in one of Peanut’s nostrils to keep the skin from closing over as the wound healed, according to Holeman.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 7, 2026
Chesson, as trained, inhaled a lungful of air through her nostrils in a single deep breath.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2025
The odor of rotten flesh clouds my nostrils.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
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