Nostrils
/ˈnɒs.trɪlz/noun
The external openings of the nose, through which air is inhaled and exhaled.
Did you know?In Old English, the word for nostrils literally meant 'nose holes', often associated with the mystical power of breath in ancient rituals.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*nos-
“to smell, to sense through the nose”
Latin
Latin
nostrīlum
“a small opening, specifically the nostril”
Old English
Old English
nosdrē
“nose, the part of the face that includes the nostrils”
Middle English
Middle English
nostril
“the opening of the nose, especially one that allows air to enter”
Modern English
English
nostrils
“the two external openings of the nose”