Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

nosegay

/ˈnoʊzˌɡeɪ/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.37 in modern English

Syllables
nose-gay
IPA
/ˈnoʊzˌɡeɪ/
11
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
7
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

An aroma, a scent.

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Late Middle English nōsegai (?), from nōse (“nose”) (from Old English nosu, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *nas- (“nose”)) + gai (“a bright or gay object; an ornament”) (from Old French gai (“cheerful, gay, happy”)); equivalent to nose + gay.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈnoʊzˌɡeɪ/
  • British English: /ˈnəʊzɡeɪ/

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Frequently Paired Words

Synonyms

Questions

How do you pronounce nosegay?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈnoʊzˌɡeɪ/.
What does nosegay mean?
A small bunch of fragrant flowers or herbs tied in a bundle, often presented as a gift; nosegays were originally intended to be put to the nose for the pleasant sensation or to mask unpleasant odours.
Where does nosegay come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce nosegay

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “nosegay”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈnoʊzˌɡeɪ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “nosegay”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “nosegay” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.