verb / noun
sniffle
SNIF-uhl/ˈsnɪfl/
Repeated short inhalations through the nose.
An adult sniffles while holding a tissue beneath the nose.
Etymology
The frequentative ending turns a sniff into a repeated action: small nasal inhalations rather than one breath taken to smell something. This repeated action also gives a head cold its familiar name, “the sniffles.”
In context
I kind of like you know, sniffle or pull blood through my nose
More examples
- He sniffled through the sad ending of the movie.
- A quiet sniffle breaks the silence.
- I have the sniffles, so I keep tissues nearby.
Forms
sniffle · sniffles · sniffled · sniffling
sniffly adjective — Having a runny nose and sniffling.
Similar words
- sniff
- Can describe one inhalation, including smelling something on purpose.
- snuffle
- Suggests louder, more congested breathing through the nose.