s-n-o-u-t
SNOUT is the protruding nose and mouth of animals, especially mammals like pigs, dogs, and elephants. Also used as slang for a human nose or police informant. A solid 5-letter word with good vowel balance in Scrabble.
5
Points in Scrabble
Base tile values • No multipliers applied
SNOUT represents one of nature's most versatile anatomical features—the elongated nose and mouth structure found in numerous animal species. From the sensitive, flexible trunk-like snouts of tapirs to the powerful, rooting implements of wild boars, these specialized appendages serve crucial survival functions including feeding, breathing, sensing, and social communication.
Anatomically, a snout typically combines nasal passages with extended jaw structures, creating a multifunctional tool perfectly adapted to each species' ecological niche. Pigs use their muscular snouts to root through soil for tubers and insects, applying tremendous pressure to break through hard-packed earth. Elephant seals possess massive, inflatable snouts that serve as both resonating chambers for mating calls and weapons in territorial disputes.
The sensory capabilities of many snouts exceed those of human faces by orders of magnitude. Dogs' snouts contain over 300 million olfactory receptors compared to humans' mere 6 million, enabling them to detect scents at concentrations 10,000 to 100,000 times lower than we can perceive. Bears can smell carrion from miles away, while star-nosed moles use their bizarre, tentacled snouts to identify and consume small prey in milliseconds.
Beyond biology, "snout" has acquired colorful slang meanings. In British criminal argot, a "snout" refers to a police informant—someone who "sniffs out" information for authorities. The word also serves as pejorative slang for human noses, particularly large or unattractive ones. These metaphorical extensions reflect the snout's association with detection, intrusion, and prominent visibility.
For Scrabble enthusiasts, SNOUT offers reliable 5-point scoring through common letters, with strategic value enhanced by good vowel distribution (O and U) and potential for extensions. The word's familiar spelling and clear definition make it a safe play that rarely faces challenges from opponents.
"Snout" derives from Middle English "snoute," borrowed from Middle Dutch "snute" or Middle Low German "snute," meaning a projecting nose or muzzle. The Germanic root connects to Old Norse "snúta" (snout) and ultimately traces to Proto-Indo-European *sneu-, relating to flowing or dripping—likely referencing nasal discharge.
The word's journey through languages reveals its fundamental connection to prominent nasal features:
Related Germanic languages preserve similar forms: German "Schnauze," Dutch "Snuit," Danish "Snude." The consistent Germanic root emphasizes the word's ancient recognition of this distinctive anatomical feature across cultures that regularly observed domestic and wild animals.
The semantic expansion from animal anatomy to human slang occurred gradually. By the 1700s, "snout" could refer disparagingly to human noses, playing on the association with pig-like features. The criminal slang meaning (police informant) emerged in 20th-century Britain, metaphorically linking the informant's information-gathering role to an animal's sniffing behavior.
Compound words utilizing "snout" proliferated in English: snout-fair (handsome face, ironically), snout-beetle (weevil), pig-snout (plant name). These formations demonstrate the word's productivity in describing prominent, projecting features across various contexts, from human faces to plant structures.
•A star-nosed mole's snout has 22 fleshy appendages with over 100,000 nerve fibers
•Elephant seals can inflate their snouts to create resonating chambers for calls
•Dogs' snouts are so sensitive they can detect human emotions through scent
"The pig's snout was perfectly designed for rooting through the forest floor."
- Anatomical function
"The detective's snout tipped him off about the planned heist."
- Criminal slang
"The dog lifted its snout to catch the familiar scent on the wind."
- Sensory behavior
Total base points: 5 (Scrabble)
Vowels: 2 | Consonants: 3
SNOUT's double vowels (O, U) provide excellent flexibility for board placement while maintaining reliable 5-point scoring.
• Base value: 5 points from common letters
• Extensions: SNOUTS (plural)
• Related words: SCOUT, SHOUT, SPOUT, STOUT
• Vowel advantage: O and U tiles offer placement flexibility
Pigs: Muscular, disc-shaped for rooting
Dogs: Elongated with wet rhinarium
Elephants: Fused with trunk (proboscis)
Anteaters: Extremely elongated tube
Tapirs: Short, flexible proboscis
Elephant seals: Inflatable trunk-like
Star-nosed moles: 22 fleshy appendages
Shrews: Pointed, highly sensitive
Snout evolution reflects specific ecological pressures and feeding strategies:
Aquatic Adaptations
Dolphins evolved elongated snouts (rostra) for hydrodynamic efficiency
Underground Specialists
Moles developed sensitive, tactile snouts for navigating darkness
Dietary Specialists
Nectar feeders evolved long, narrow snouts matching flower shapes
Animal snouts house some of nature's most sophisticated chemical detection systems. The surface area within a dog's nasal cavity, if flattened, would exceed the dog's entire body surface. This vast sensory real estate contains specialized receptor cells that can distinguish millions of different scent molecules.
Jacobson's Organ (Vomeronasal)
Snakes and lizards use this to "taste" airborne chemicals
Rhinarium
Wet nose tip in mammals enhances scent molecule capture
Turbinates
Folded bone structures increase scent-detecting surface area
Many snouts serve as multi-purpose sensory platforms. Star-nosed moles possess the most sensitive touch organs known, capable of identifying and consuming small prey in milliseconds. Elephant trunks combine smell, touch, and even infrasonic vibration detection. Duck bills contain pressure-sensitive organs that detect underwater prey movement.
Understanding snout sensitivity has practical applications: trained detection dogs find drugs, explosives, diseases, and even electronics. Scientists study animal olfaction to develop artificial nose technologies. Conservation efforts use scent-detection abilities to locate endangered species or monitor ecosystem health through environmental DNA sampling.
In British criminal slang, "snout" refers to a police informant—someone who "sniffs out" information for authorities. This usage reflects both the informant's investigative role and the contempt shown by criminal communities toward those who betray their associates.
Origins: Early 20th century British underworld
Related terms: Grass (informant), rat (traitor), stool pigeon
Cultural impact: Featured in British crime fiction and police procedurals
Modern usage: Still current in UK criminal and police terminology
Derogatory Usage
"Snout" as pejorative for large or unattractive human noses
Playful Context
Affectionate teasing among friends or family members
Literary Device
Authors use "snout" to suggest pig-like or bestial characteristics
Children's Language
Kids often use animal terms playfully for body parts
"Snout" typically refers to elongated, projecting nose-mouth combinations (pigs, dogs). "Muzzle" can mean the projecting part or a restraining device. "Nose" is more general. Use "snout" for animals with prominent, functional nose-mouth structures.
Not all animals have snouts. Birds have beaks/bills, elephants have trunks (which incorporate snout features), and many fish have elongated jaws rather than true snouts. Reserve "snout" for mammals with the appropriate anatomical structure.
SNOUT's letters form many useful words: SCOUT, SHOUT, SPOUT, STOUT. Consider the -OUT pattern when you have these letters but can't place SNOUT itself. The versatility makes these letters valuable.
Practice unscrambling letters to find more high-scoring words like SNOUT