Nosethrill

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A prickling or tingling feeling experienced in the nose, often sharp and brief in its onset
2. The sensation of a quick, tickling thrill located in the nasal passages
3. A brief tingle or shivery sensation that is felt inside the nose

Etymology: Before "nostril" became the standard name, English speakers used "nosethrill," a compound that names the body part by its shape: nose plus thrill. Here "thrill" has nothing to do with excitement. It comes from Old English "thyrel," meaning a hole or opening, related to the verb "thyrlian," to pierce. The Scots "thirl," still meaning a hole or doorway, preserves the older sense. "Nostril" descends from the same Old English pattern, "nosþyrel," literally "nose-hole." The "nose" half is the ordinary word, but "thrill" has drifted furthest from its original meaning. The emotional sense of "thrill," a sudden tingling excitement, is a separate development that etymologists likely connect to the idea of a sharp piercing sensation running through the body.