Sniffing - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Sniffing is the act of inhaling air or a scent through the nose, often to detect smells. It can also refer to quietly crying or investigating something, like data in computing.
Definition:
Inhaling air audibly through the nose to detect smells or express emotion.
Synonyms:
smelling, inhaling, scenting, whiffing
Part of Speech:
noun, verb (gerund/present participle)
Antonyms:
exhaling, ignoring
Common Collocations:
sniffing the air, sniffing loudly, sniffing a flower, sniffing glue
Derivatives:
sniffer, sniffed
Usage Tips:
Use "sniffing" to describe audible inhalation or detecting scents; avoid overuse in formal writing.
Common Phrases:
sniffing around, sniffing out trouble, stop and smell the roses (related)
Etymology:
Derived from Middle English "sniffen," imitative of the sound of inhaling sharply through the nose.
Examples:
- 1. The dog kept sniffing the ground for traces of food.
- 2. She was sniffing loudly because of her cold.
- 3. Stop sniffing the flowers and let’s go!
- 4. He caught his cat sniffing around the kitchen counter.