blowhole
UK[ˈbləʊ.həʊl]US[ˈbloʊ.hoʊl]
n
a hole in the top of the head of a whale, dolphin, or other cetacean, through which it breathes.
n
a hole in ice or in a roof through which air or steam can escape.
Morpheme Breakdown
blow
hole
blow
to expel air
hole
an opening
Etymology
the word 'blowhole' is a transparent compound formed from two native english elements, 'blow' and 'hole'. the old english verb blāwan has germanic origins, tracing back to the proto-indo-european root bʰleh₁-, meaning "to blow, swell". the old english noun hol also has germanic roots, related to the concept of hollow spaces. the compound logically and literally describes "a hole for blowing", first applied to architectural features like vents before being adopted in the 19th century as the specific anatomical term for the nasal aperture of cetaceans, through which they forcefully expel air and vapor.
Analysis
Structure: blow (to expel air) + hole (an opening)
blow: from old english blāwan, meaning "to blow, breathe, inflate". it is a verb root describing the action of expelling air.
hole: from old english hol, meaning "a hollow place, cavity". it is a noun root denoting an opening or aperture.
Examples
we watched as the whale surfaced and a spray of mist shot from its blowhole.
the old factory roof had several blowholes to release heat and fumes.
seals keep their blowholes above the water even while sleeping in the ocean.