nostril
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of nostril
before 1000; Middle English nostrill, Old English nosterl, variant of nosthyrl, equivalent to nos ( u ) nose + thyrel hole; thirl
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.
His nostrils picked up the smell of smoke.
From Literature
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“Some people,” she said, and her nostrils flared.
From Literature
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So I stared at everyone, looking for curly hair and long skinny legs and nostrils that flare out a little.
From Literature
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The putrid smell assaults my nostrils before I see the dark spots and fuzzy green mold.
From Literature
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It roared again, and sheets of fire belched from its mouth and nostrils, melting the snow and ice so that steam billowed into the air to mix with flame and choking smoke.
From Literature
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.