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orifice

orifice; opening; hole

noun o-ree-FEES Rare
Body & Health Body Parts

Usage Note

Orifice is used in both everyday and technical/medical language for any natural or artificial opening. In medicine it commonly refers to body openings such as the mouth or nostrils. Its French register is more clinical than the English cognate, which can sound abruptly anatomical to an anglophone ear.

Examples

"L'orifice de la bouteille était bouché."

Natural Translation

The opening of the bottle was blocked.

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