nasal

1
[ ney-zuh l ]
/ ˈneɪ zəl /

adjective

of or relating to the nose: the nasal cavity.
Phonetics. pronounced with the voice issuing through the nose, either partly, as in French nasal vowels, or entirely (as in m, n, or the ng of song).

noun

Phonetics. a nasal speech sound.

Origin of nasal

1
1375–1425; late Middle English (adj.) < Medieval Latin *nāsālis, equivalent to Latin nās(us) nose + -ālis -al1

OTHER WORDS FROM nasal

na·sal·i·ty [ney-zal-i-tee] /neɪˈzæl ɪ ti/, na·sal·ism, noun sem·i·na·sal·i·ty, noun

Example sentences from the Web for nasality

  • As for the fault of nasality, it is, as I have said, the most difficult to get rid of.

    Caruso and Tetrazzini on the Art of Singing |Enrico Caruso and Luisa Tetrazzini
  • The common defects of nasality, throatiness, and harshness, are due to wrong and careless use of the speaking-instrument.

    Talks on Talking |Grenville Kleiser
  • Why not forswear French again and pronounce nuance without trying vainly to preserve the Gallic nasality of the second n—newance?

    Society for Pure English, Tract 5 |Society for Pure English
  • A very disagreeable and common fault is nasality, or "talking through the nose."

    Talks on Talking |Grenville Kleiser

British Dictionary definitions for nasality

nasal
/ (ˈneɪzəl) /

adjective

of or relating to the nose
phonetics pronounced with the soft palate lowered allowing air to escape via the nasal cavity instead of or as well as through the mouth

noun

a nasal speech sound, such as English m, n, or ng
another word for nosepiece (def. 1)

Derived forms of nasal

nasality (neɪˈzælɪtɪ), noun nasally, adverb

Word Origin for nasal

C17: from French from Late Latin nāsālis, from Latin nāsus nose

Medical definitions for nasality

nasal
[ nāzəl ]

adj.

Of, in, or relating to the nose.

Scientific definitions for nasality

nasal
[ nāzəl ]

Relating to or involving the nose.