Sniffings

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of inhaling audibly through the nose to perceive a scent or to clear nasal passages
2. Instances of detecting or identifying odors through inhalation, often associated with curiosity or emotion
3. Repeated actions of sniffing, typically indicating interest in or reaction to particular smells, often related to animals or humans

Etymology: "Sniffings" is simply the plural of "sniffing," the noun formed from the verb "sniff." The plural adds little new history of its own: it is the form of the noun for each separate bout of sniffing. Its root, "sniff," is an imitative word, built to sound like the short inhaling noise it describes.

Synonyms: sniffs, inhalations, whiffs