# nuzzle

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈnʌzl̩/ · frequency rank #70,962

## Definitions
1. To push or thrust (the nose or snout, face or muzzle, or head, or an object) against or into something.
2. To rub or touch (someone or something) with the nose, face, etc., or an object.
3. Chiefly of an animal: to dig (something, especially food) out of the ground using the nose or snout; to root.
4. Often followed by in or into: to press or push the nose or snout, mouth, face, etc., against or into someone or something; to touch someone or something with the nose or snout, etc.
5. Chiefly of an animal: to push the nose or snout into the ground to dig for something, especially food; to root, to rootle.
6. Followed by down: to settle or lie comfortably and snugly in a bed, nest, etc.; to nestle.
7. Chiefly followed by up or with: to press affectionately against someone or something; to nestle, to snuggle.
8. To come into close contact with someone or something.
9. To feel or probe with the fingers.

## Etymology
PIE word
 *néh₂s
The verb is derived from Middle English noselen (“to bend down”); further etymology uncertain, possibly:
* a back-formation from noseling, noselyng (“on the back, supine; with the face downward, prone”, adverb), from nose (“nose”) (from Old English nosu, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *néh₂s (“nose”)) + -ling, -lyng (suffix forming adverbs denoting direction, manner, or position); or
* from nose (see above) + -el, -elen (diminutive or frequentative suffix) (in which case the English word is, by surface analysis, nose + -le (frequentative suffix)).
Etymology 1 sense 2.3 (“to settle or lie comfortably and snugly”) is possibly influenced by nestle or nursle (frequentative of nurse).
The noun is derived from the verb.
Compare nozzle.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/nuzzle