nose
UK[nəʊz]US[noʊz]
n
the part of the face above the mouth, used for breathing and smelling
n
a natural ability to find or recognize something, especially a smell
v
to move forward slowly and carefully
v
to search for or pry into something
Etymology
The word 'nose' is a direct and ancient inheritance from the Proto-Indo-European root nas-, which meant "nose." This root traveled into the Germanic language family, evolving into Old English 'nosu'. Unlike many scientific or borrowed terms, 'nose' resisted replacement by Latin or Greek equivalents, remaining the core, unanalyzable simplex word for the facial organ in English. Its journey represents the continuity of a basic, concrete concept from the ancestral language of much of Europe into modern everyday speech.
Analysis
This is a simplex word of Germanic origin. It descends from the Old English 'nosu', which is related to other Germanic words like Old Norse 'nös' and Dutch 'neus'. Its ultimate Proto-Indo-European root is likely nas-, meaning "nose."
Examples
She wrinkled her nose at the strange smell.
As a reporter, he has a good nose for a compelling story.
The ship nosed carefully through the narrow channel.