naris

IPA/ˈneə.rɪs/
IPA/ˈner.ɪs/

naris — noun

  • narissingular
  • narisesplural

1. in anatomy or medical writing, one of the two outer holes at the front of the no

1.nounC2
Definition

in anatomy or medical writing, one of the two outer holes at the front of the nose where air enters and leaves during breathing; the plural form 'nares' is more common in clinical use.

Example

The surgeon checked that Tunde's left naris was clear before the nasal endoscopy began.

clinical use: a [side] + naris

Anatomy students learn that each naris opens into a separate nasal passage behind the bridge of the nose.

anatomical context: each naris + opens into

Common collocations
  • left/right naris
  • anterior naris
  • posterior naris
  • blocked naris
Synonyms
  • nostril

    the everyday English word; use this in normal conversation

  • nares

    the standard Latin plural used in clinical and anatomical writing

Grammar Patterns

plural: nares

Usage Note

Only sense; far rarer than the everyday word 'nostril'. The plural 'nares' (Latin) dominates in clinical and anatomical writing; the singular 'naris' is used mostly when one side is being described.

Common Mistakes

I have a cold and my naris is running.
I have a cold and my nose is running.
'naris' is technical anatomy vocabulary; everyday speech uses 'nose' or 'nostril'.
Both naris were blocked.
Both nares were blocked.
when speaking of both openings, use the Latin plural 'nares', not 'naris'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three words point to the same opening at the front of the nose, but they belong to different registers. 'Nostril' is the everyday English word every learner needs — used by doctors, parents, and children alike when speaking naturally ('breathe in through one nostril'). 'Naris' is the formal anatomical term, almost never spoken aloud; it appears in textbooks and clinical notes when a writer needs precise, medical phrasing for one side. 'Nares' is the Latin plural of 'naris' and is the form clinicians actually reach for when referring to both openings together ('the patient's nares were clear'). A learner should produce 'nostril' actively and recognise 'naris/nares' passively when reading medical material.

naris ↗nostril ↗nares

Common collocations

Nouns

  • anterior naris
  • posterior naris

Phrases

  • left naris
  • right naris
  • blocked naris

Prepositions

  • through the naris
  • in the naris
  • from the naris

Etymology

Proto-Indo-EuropeanLatinEnglish

Borrowed directly from Latin 'naris' meaning 'nostril', which itself comes from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'nose'. The same root gives English 'nose' through Old English. 'Naris' entered English in the 1690s through anatomical writing and stayed confined to medical and scientific use.