Meaning & use
anterior nares
Last updated
Meaning
nounpluralmedical
The two openings at the front of the nose through which air passes in and out; the nostrils.
Grammar: Plural form with a plural verb: The anterior nares are examined first; one opening is a naris.
Patterns
- swab the anterior nares
- inflammation of the anterior nares
The nurse took a swab from each of the patient's anterior nares.
Crusting around the anterior nares can make breathing uncomfortable.
The doctor checked that the anterior nares were not blocked.
Word forms
| singular | naris |
|---|
Common combinations
- swab the anterior nares
- The clinician will swab the anterior nares to test for infection.
- patent anterior nares
- The notes describe patent anterior nares, meaning they were open.
- cleanse the anterior nares
- Parents are told to gently cleanse the anterior nares.
- anterior nares culture
- An anterior nares culture checked for bacteria.
- flaring of the anterior nares
- Flaring of the anterior nares can signal difficulty breathing.
Synonyms and how they differ
- nostrils
- Nostrils is the everyday word, while anterior nares is the clinical term used in medical notes.
- external nares
- External nares is another medical name for the same front openings, in contrast to the internal ones at the back.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: anterior nares or posterior nares?
anterior nares vs posterior nares
The posterior nares are the inner openings from the nose into the throat; the anterior nares are the visible front openings.
Practice
A nurse who swabs a patient's nostrils for a test is sampling the ______.
Choose one answer.
The anterior nares are the nostrils at the front of the nose. The posterior nares are at the back, and sinuses and tonsils are different structures.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “anterior nares”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.