variants
or less commonly nare
plural nares
ˈner-ˌēz 
ˈna-ˌrēz
see usage paragraph below
: either of the pair of openings of the nose or nasal cavity
Usage of Naris and Nare
The spelling naris is the more usual singular form of this noun. The singular spelling variant nare is a back-formation from the plural form nares. As such, nare is often criticized, but it does appear occasionally in published, edited medical sources.
Examples of naris in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The ravenous larvae then feed on their victims’ keratin, tissue and blood, eventually moving from the nares to feed externally on the developing birds.
—
Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, 13 June 2019
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, 13 June 2019
Cite this Entry
“Naris.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/naris. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share