LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininethird declension

nāris

nāris f (genitive nāris)
Classical[ˈnaː.rɪs]Ecclesiastical[ˈnaː.ris]

Meaning

  1. in pluralnostril
  2. nose
  3. opening; orifice; vent; air-hole

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Nasus · Nares

Nasus is the exterior of the nose, as a prominent part of the face, like ῥίν; nares (ναρός) the interior of the nose, as the organ of smell, like μυκτῆρες. (vi. 231.).

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativenārisnārēs
genitivenārisnārium
dativenārīnāribus
accusativenāremnārēs
nārīs
ablativenārenāribus
vocativenārisnārēs

nāris, is, f. for nasis, from root na-; Sanscr. nārā, water; nāsā, nose; kindred to nasus; cf.: no, nāre,
I. a nostril, usually in plur., nāres, ĭum, f., the nostrils, the nose.
I. Lit.
(a). In sing. (poet. and in postclass. prose): et lati rictūs et panda loquenti Naris erat, Ov. M. 3, 675; 6, 141; 12, 253; id. A. A. 1, 520; Pers. 1, 33; Grat. Cyn. 172; Macer. ap. Charis. p. 82 P.; App. M. 8, p. 213; Tert. adv. Marc. 1, 13.—
(b). In plur.: nares, eo, quod omnis odor ad supera fertur, recte sursum sunt, Cic. N. D. 2, 56, 141: nares contractiores habent introitus, id. ib. 2, 57, 145: fasciculum ad nares admovere, id. Tusc. 3, 18, 43: mediis in naribus ingens gibbus, Juv. 6, 108: patulis captavit naribus auras, Verg. G. 1, 376.—
B. The nose, as an organ expressive of sagacity, and also of scorn and anger: naribus ducere tura, to smell, Hor. C. 4, 1, 21: naribus labrisque non fere quicquam decenter ostendimus, tametsi derisus iis, contemptus, fastidium significari solet, nam et corrugare nares, ut Horatius ait ... indecorum est, etc., to turn up the nose, to sneer, Quint. 11, 3, 80: ne sordida mappa Corruget nares, cause you to turn up your nose, Hor. Ep. 1, 5, 22: omnis copia narium, sweet-smelling flowers, id. C. 2, 15, 6: de nare loqui, to speak through the nose, Pers. 1, 33: Aesopus naris emunctae senex, of a clean nose, i. e. of sharp perception, of fine powers of observation, Phaedr. 3, 3, 14; so, (Lucilius) emunctae naris, Hor. S. 1, 4, 8: acutae nares, id. ib. 1, 3, 30; and on the contrary: homo naris obesae, of a dull nose, id. Epod. 12, 3: naribus uti, to turn up the nose, i. e. to banter, ridicule, id. Ep. 1, 19, 45; cf.: rides et nimis uncis naribus indulges, Pers. 1, 41.—Of anger: Calpurni saevam legem Pisoni' reprendi, Eduxique animam in prioribu' naribus, Lucil. ap. Non. 427, 32 (Sat. 20, 4): in naribus primoribus vix pertuli, Afran. ib. 33 (Com. Rel. v. 384 Rib.).—
II. Transf., an opening, orifice, vent, air-hole, of a canal, etc.: inter duos parietes canalis ducatur, habens nares ad locum patentem, Vitr. 7, 4; 7, 10; Vop. Prob. 21; Pall. 9, 9.

Origins

From nāsus with rhotacism.

Insular Romance
  • Sardiniannare
  • Sardiniannaris
  • Sardiniannaricre
  • Sardiniannaricru
Vulgar Latin
  • Frenchnarillefrom unknown *nārīcula
  • Portuguesenarinafrom unknown *nārīna
  • Spanishnarinafrom unknown *nārīna
  • Old Frenchnarinefrom unknown *nārīna
  • Asturianñarrafrom unknown *nārīna
  • Galiciannarnofrom unknown *nārīna
  • unknown*nārīca
Italo-Romance
  • Italiannare
  • Italiannari
  • Corsicannaru
  • Venetansgnare
Balkano-Romance
  • Romaniannară
  • Aromaniannari
  • Aromaniannare
Borrowings
  • Englishnaris
Rhaeto-Romance
  • Friuliannarile

In English words that came into English from nāris

  • nasturtiumnasturtium
  • nariformnārifōrmis
  • narisnāris
  • nosesmartnasturtium

Quick answers

What does nāris mean in Latin?
nāris, a noun, means “nostril; nose; opening”.
What is the genitive of nāris?
The genitive singular is nāris. nāris is feminine, third declension.
How do you pronounce nāris?
In classical Latin, [ˈnaː.rɪs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈnaː.ris].
Which English words come from nāris?
English words that go back to Latin nāris include naris, nasturtium, nariform and nosesmart.