Nearby Words

nostril

[nos-truhl] Origin

nos·tril

[nos-truhl]
noun
either of the two external openings of the nose.

Origin:
before 1000; Middle English nostrill, Old English nosterl, variant of nosthyrl, equivalent to nos(u) nose + thyrel hole; see thirl
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Nostril is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
Collins
World English Dictionary
nostril (ˈnɒstrɪl)
 
n
either of the two external openings of the noseRelated: narial, narine
 
Related: narial, narine
 
[Old English nosthyrl, from nosunose + thyrel hole]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

nostril
O.E. nosþyrl, lit. "the hole of the nose," from nosu "nose" + þyrel "hole," from þurh "through."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary

nostril nos·tril (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.
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