English · Body & Health

sniff

/snɪf/

[/snɪf/]

breathe in quickly through the nose

Intermediateverb

Definition

To breathe in quickly and audibly through the nose, often to smell something or because of a cold. It can also be a noun for this action.

Example

She bent down to sniff the flowers.

She bent down to sniff the flowers.

Etymology

Of imitative origin, echoing the sound of sniffing.

How & Where It’s Used

Used for smelling things and for a runny nose.

Watch “breathe in quickly through the nose” pronunciation on YouTube
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