1. Of, in, or relating to the nose.
2. Linguistics. Articulated by lowering the soft palate so that air resonates in the nasal cavities and passes out the nose, as in the pronunciation of the consonants (m), (n), and (ng) or the nasalized vowel of French bon.
3. Characterized by or resembling a resonant sound produced through the nose: a nasal whine.

1. Linguistics. A nasal consonant.
2. A nasal part or bone, forming part of the bridge of the nose.
3. The nosepiece of a helmet.

[Possibly from Middle English nasale, from Medieval Latin nāsālis, from Latin nāsus, nose.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.