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nostril

[ nos-truh l ]
/ ˈnɒs trəl /
|

noun

either of the two external openings of the nose.

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RELATED WORDS

snout, beak, muzzle, snoot, proboscis, bill, nares, adenoids, schnoz, snuffer, horn, sniffer, smeller

Nearby words

  1. nostologic,
  2. nostology,
  3. nostomania,
  4. nostradamus,
  5. nostratic,
  6. nostro account,
  7. nostromo,
  8. nostrum,
  9. nosy,
  10. nosy parker

Origin of nostril

before 1000; Middle English nostrill, Old English nosterl, variant of nosthyrl, equivalent to nos(u) nose + thyrel hole; see thirl
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for nostril

British Dictionary definitions for nostril

nostril

/ (ˈnɒstrɪl) /

noun

either of the two external openings of the noseRelated adjectives: narial, narine

Word Origin for nostril

Old English nosthyrl, from nosu nose + thyrel hole
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for nostril

nostril

n.

Old English nosþyrl, nosðirl, literally "the hole of the nose," from nosu "nose" (see nose (n.)) + þyrel "hole" (see thrill (v.)).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for nostril

nostril

[ nŏs′trəl ]

n.

A naris.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.