Snort Is the Sound of Air Through the Nose
To snort is to force air noisily through the nostrils. The word covers laughter, contempt and horses.
To snort is to force air noisily through the nostrils. The word carries a whole small vocabulary of feeling: a snort of laughter is involuntary and slightly embarrassing, a snort of contempt is deliberate and dismissive, and a horse's snort is a genuine alarm signal that alerts the rest of the herd. Same sound, three meanings, all read instantly from context. The word is imitative, part of a family with *snore*, *snarl* and *sniff*.
- To exhale noisily. *He snorted.*
- A sound of contempt. *A snort of derision.*
- A horse's alarm. *The horse snorted.*
- A small drink (informal). *A snort of whisky.*
- Imitative origin. *From the sound.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | snort | Snort. |
| Past | snorted | Snorted. |
| Noun | snort | A snort. |
| Related | snore | Snore. |
| Related | snarl | Snarl. |
- She snorted with laughter.Amusement.
- He gave a snort of contempt.Dismissal.
- The horse snorted a warning.Animal.
The sn- sound cluster
- Snort, snore, sniff, snuffle — all involve the nose
- Snarl, snap, snicker — all sharp and often hostile
- Sneer, snub, snide — all dismissive
- Linguists call this phonaesthesia, sound clusters carrying shared meaning
- It is a tendency, not a rule: *snow* and *snake* stand outside it
Middle English *snorten*, imitative of the sound, related to *snore*.
Why do so many English words about the nose start with sn?
It is a case of phonaesthesia, where a sound cluster tends to carry related meanings. It is a tendency rather than a rule.
Why do horses snort?
It is an alarm signal that alerts the rest of the herd, as well as a way of clearing the nostrils.