What does rhinology mean?
Rhinology is the medical branch concerned with the nose and nasal passages. It includes the study of their anatomy and physiology as well as the diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting them. Nose specialists may work within the wider field of otolaryngology, which also includes the ear and throat, but rhinology itself has a more specific focus. The term appears in clinical research, specialist medical practice, and the history of medicine. Its etymology makes its scope especially transparent: it combines Greek roots meaning “nose” and “study of.” Although rhinology is a specialized term, it is useful for distinguishing knowledge of nasal structure and disease from the broader discipline of head-and-neck medicine. It is also connected etymologically with familiar words such as rhinovirus, rhinoplasty, and rhinoceros.
nounThe medical study of the nose and nasal passages, including their anatomy, physiology, diagnosis, and treatment.
- The medical study of the nose and nasal passages, including the diagnosis and treatment of nasal disorders.
"Her research in rhinology focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic nasal inflammation."
"She specializes in rhinology, with a particular interest in chronic sinus disease."
"The textbook's chapter on rhinology surveys the history and development of nasal medicine."
Rarely used; rhinology is normally treated as an uncountable name for a medical discipline.
"The essays compare historical rhinologies and the changing theories of nasal anatomy behind them."
Rhinology is literally the “science of the nose”: its name joins the Greek words for “nose” and “study.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does rhinology come from?
Rhinology was formed in English during the nineteenth century from Greek rhis or rhinos, meaning “nose,” and the Greek-derived suffix -logia, meaning “study of.” Its relatives preserve the same nasal root: rhinoplasty is surgery of the nose, rhinovirus takes its name from its nasal association, and rhinoceros ultimately derives from the Greek rhinokeros, literally “horned nose.”
Related word forms
How rhinology is actually used
A formal medical term. It is sometimes used attributively, as in “rhinology research,” and should not be treated as a general synonym for otolaryngology.
Easily confused with rhinology
Rhinology concerns the nose and nasal passages specifically, whereas otolaryngology covers the broader field of ear, nose, and throat medicine.