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orifice

[ awr-uh-fis, or- ]
/ ˈɔr ə fɪs, ˈɒr- /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR orifice ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

an opening or aperture, as of a tube or pipe; a mouthlike opening or hole; mouth; vent.

QUIZZES

TAKE THIS QUIZ TO SEE WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL PUNCTUATION!

Commas mark divisions in sentences. Periods end declarative sentences. Apostrophes show possession. Easy, right? Well, punctuation can get pretty tricky—fast. Think you got what it takes to be a punctuation expert? Take our quiz to prove it!
Question 1 of 10
Which of the options below is the best punctuation for the sentence? It__s your turn to pick the movie __ but your sister gets to pick the board game we _ re going to play.
Its your turn to pick the movie but your sister gets to pick the board game we’re going to play.
It’s your turn to pick the movie but your sister gets to pick the board game were going to play.
It’s your turn to pick the movie, but your sister gets to pick the board game we’re going to play.
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Origin of orifice

1535–45; < Middle French < Late Latin ōrificium, equivalent to Latin ōr- (stem of ōs) mouth + -i- -i- + -fic-, combining form of facere to make, do1 (see -fic) + -ium noun suffix

OTHER WORDS FROM orifice

or·i·fi·cial [awr-uh-fish-uh l, or-] /ˌɔr əˈfɪʃ əl, ˌɒr-/, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH orifice

office orifice

Words nearby orifice

oriente, orienteer, orienteering, orienting reflex, orienting response, orifice, orifice meter, orificium, oriflamme, orig., origami
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to orifice

vent, cavity, spout, window, slit, mouth, outlet, crack, aperture, hole

Example sentences from the Web for orifice

British Dictionary definitions for orifice

orifice
/ (ˈɒrɪfɪs) /

noun

mainly Technical an opening or mouth into a cavity; vent; aperture

Word Origin for orifice

C16: via French from Late Latin ōrificium, from Latin ōs mouth + facere to make
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

Medical definitions for orifice

orifice
[ ôr′ə-fĭs ]

n.

An opening, especially to a cavity or passage of the body; a mouth or vent.

Other words from orifice

or′i•fi′cial (-fĭsh′əl) adj.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.