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Definition of nostril

nostril

/ˈnɑː.strəl/
nos · tril
Plural:nostrils
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nostril Lexical Profile

nostril Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

Either of the two external openings of the nasal cavity in vertebrates that admit air to the lungs and smells to the olfactory nerves.

Example

"The horse flared its nostrils as it galloped across the cold morning field."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for nostril

• Rhymes for nostril

• Nearby Words

nostalgia
nostalgic
nostalgically
nostril
nosy
not
notability

Word Origin & Etymology

From Old English nosþyrl, a compound of nosu ('nose') and þyrel ('hole' or 'opening'), which is related to the word 'thrill' (originally meaning to pierce).

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Nostril. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/nostril
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