sniff etymology

Etymology

• Middle English: sniffen, from Old English snifian or snofian.
• Cognate with Old Norse snufia, German schnüffeln.
• Related to nose, snout.

Meaning

• To inhale sharply through the nose, typically with a noisy sound.
• To use the sense of smell to investigate something.

Origin

The word "sniff" is onomatopoeic, meaning that it imitates a natural sound. The specific sound being imitated is the sharp inhalation made through the nose.

sniff relate terms

• snivel

  Etymology Middle English snivelen sniveling Old English snot from the Proto Germani

• snout

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• snivelling

  Etymology Middle English snivelen Old English snīfelian Proto Germanic sniβ

• sniffer

  Etymology The word sniffer is derived from the verb sniff which means to inhale shar

• sniff

  Etymology Middle English sniffen from Old English snifian or snofian Cognate with Old

• sniffle

  Etymology The word sniffle is derived from the Proto Indo European root sep meani

• snifter

  Etymology The word snifter is derived from the Middle English word sniff which mean

• snuff

  Etymology The word snuff is derived from the Middle English word snoff which in tur

• Muse

  Etymology of Muse The word muse is derived from the Ancient Greek word μούσα

• inside

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• odor

  Etymology The word odor comes from the Latin word odor which means scent or smel

• inspire

  Etymology From Middle English insipyre from Anglo Norman French inspirer from Latin i

• expose

  Etymology Expose comes from the Latin word exponere which means to set forth or to

• Arab