snout

1 of 2

noun

1
a(1)
: a long projecting nose (as of a swine)
(2)
: an anterior prolongation of the head of various animals (such as a weevil) : rostrum
b
: the human nose especially when large or grotesque
2
: something resembling an animal's snout in position, function, or shape: such as
a
: prow
b
: nozzle
c
: the terminal face of a glacier
snouted adjective
snoutish adjective
snouty adjective

snout

2 of 2

verb

snouted; snouting; snouts

intransitive verb

: to dig or search with or as if with the snout
These whales feed by snouting around in soft ocean bottoms …Elizabeth Quill
The bear was on a low-level hunting mission … and snouted around for anything to fuel a furnace-like appetite …Danny Buckland
… help us to visualize precisely [Ignatius] Sancho stomping through his house, snouting about in every corner, pausing only to curse his increasingly irritating failure to track down the newspapers he is searching for.S. S. Sanhu

Examples of snout in a Sentence

Noun The dog raised his snout and sniffed. a punch in the snout
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Despite their long snouts, the specimens could unambiguously be assigned to the genus Leucoraja due to the typical features of their claspers. Melissa Cristina Marquez, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024 With a name derived from the smooth texture of their skin, which feels silky to the touch, they are characterized by their streamlined bodies, large eyes, and long, rounded snouts. Melissa Cristina Marquez, Forbes, 22 Sep. 2024
Verb
Puppy wobbles forward, bonks snout on plexiglass. Daniel Dorsa, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Nov. 2020 See all Example Sentences for snout 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'snout.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English snute; akin to Middle Dutch snūt snout, German Schnauze

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

1857, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of snout was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near snout

Cite this Entry

“Snout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/snout. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

snout

noun
1
a
: a long nose or muzzle (as of a pig) that sticks out
b
: a front part of the head of an animal that sticks out like the snout of a pig
c
: the human nose especially when large or ugly
2
: something resembling a snout
snouted adjective

Medical Definition

snout

noun
: a long projecting nose (as of a swine)

More from Merriam-Webster on snout

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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