Nostril
/ˈnɒstrəl/noun
One of the two openings of the nose.
Did you know?The word comes from Old English *nosþyrl*, built from *nosu* (“nose”) + *þyrel* (“hole, opening”), so English once named the nostril with the same blunt, spell-like precision it used for everyday body parts.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*néh₂s-
“nose”
Old English
OE
nosþyrl
“nose-hole, nostril”
Middle English
ME
nostril / nosethirl
“nostril”
Modern English
English
nostril
“one of the two openings of the nose”