Adjacent Words

Nostril definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

NOS'TRIL, n. [Thyrl or thirel is an opening or perforation; thirlian, thyrlian, to bore, to perforate, to thrill, to drill. See Drill.] An aperture or passage through the nose. The nostrils are the passages through which air is inhaled and exhaled in respiration.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: either one of the two external openings to the nasal cavity in the nose [syn: nostril, anterior naris]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English nosethirl, from Old English nosthyrl, from nosu nose + thyrel hole; akin to Old English thurh through Date: before 12th century 1. either of the external nares; broadly either of the nares with the adjoining passage on the same side of the septum 2. either fleshy lateral wall of the nose

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. either of two external openings of the nasal cavity in vertebrates that admit air to the lungs and smells to the olfactory nerves. Derivatives: nostrilled adj. (also in comb.). Etymology: OE nosthyrl, nosterl f. nosu NOSE + thyr(e)l hole: cf. THRILL

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Nostril Nos"tril, n. [OE. nosethril, nosethirl, AS. nospyrl; nos for nosu nose + pyrel opening, hole, from pyrel pierced, for pyrhel, fr. purh through. ? See Nose, and Through, and cf. Thrill.] 1. (Anat.) One of the external openings of the nose, which give passage to the air breathed and to secretions from the nose and eyes; one of the anterior nares. Note: In sperm whales, porpoises, and allied animals, there is only one nostril, which is situated on the top of the head and called a spiracle. 2. Perception; insight; acuteness. [Obs.] Methinks a man Of your sagacity and clear nostril should Have made another choice. --B. Jonson.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(nostrils) Your nostrils are the two openings at the end of your nose. N-COUNT

Moby Thesaurus

air duct, air hole, air passage, air shaft, air tube, airway, antlia, beak, beezer, bill, blowhole, breathing hole, bugle, conk, louver, louverwork, muffle, muzzle, nares, naris, neb, nib, nose, nostrils, nozzle, olfactories, olfactory area, olfactory cell, olfactory nerves, olfactory organ, olfactory pit, pecker, proboscis, rhinarium, rostrum, schnozzle, shaft, smeller, snoot, snout, spilehole, spiracle, touchhole, transom, trunk, vent, ventage, venthole, ventiduct, ventilating shaft, ventilator, wind tunnel