What does sneeze mean?
To sneeze is to expel air suddenly through the nose and mouth, usually because the nose has been irritated by dust, pollen, cold air, or another substance. The word also names the act itself: a sneeze. Although the action is generally involuntary, people may hold it back, suppress it, or try to sneeze in a particular direction. Sneezing can be loud and dramatic, but the word itself carries no strong negative or comic connotation in ordinary use; those qualities come mainly from the situation. In modern English, sneeze is a familiar and useful word for describing a common bodily reaction. Its history also includes an older sense in which a person said “sneeze” as a kind of oath or appeal for blessing. That sense is now archaic, while the everyday meanings—referring both to the action and to the sound—remain widely understood in British and American English.
A sudden, explosive expulsion of air through the nose and mouth, usually caused by irritation of the nose.
"He covered his mouth with his elbow as he felt another sneeze coming."
The noun is countable and commonly used in phrases such as “a loud sneeze” and “let out a sneeze.”
To expel air suddenly through the nose and mouth, usually as an involuntary response to irritation.
"She started to sneeze when the pollen count rose."
The modern verb normally describes a physiological reaction and is often used with involuntary or reflexive constructions.
The plural is used for individual instances of the act: one sneeze, two sneezes, and so on.
"The child had several sneezes during the night."
A sneeze begins with an involuntary gasp and ends with one of the body's most forceful bursts of air.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sneeze come from?
The modern English word descends from Middle English snezen and Old English fnēsan. It belongs to a Germanic family that includes German niesen and Dutch niezen, as well as Swedish nysa. The word has been used in English since the medieval period, and the sense involving an oath is a surviving trace of its older religious and social uses.
Related word forms
How sneeze is actually used
In modern English, sneeze is generally neutral and refers to a natural bodily reflex. The verb is commonly used with involuntary actions, such as sneezing because of dust, cold air, or irritation. The older oath-related sense is now rare and chiefly historical.