To breathe during sleep with harsh, snorting, or rattling sounds caused by vibration of the soft palate.
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Middle Englishc. 1400well-attested
From Middle English snoren, probably from an unattested Old English *snora or related to Middle Low Germanand Middle Dutch snorren (to hum, drone, buzz). The ultimate origin is PIE *sner- (to turn, twist, wind), with a nasal-initial onomatopoeic extension conveying the sound of breath vibrating through constricted passages. The Germanic family shows rich variation on this sound-symbolic base: Old Norse snarka (to snore), Old High
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The word 'snorkel' — the breathing tube used by swimmers — is borrowed from German Schnorchel, which derives from the same imitative root as 'snore.' A snorkel is, etymologically, a snoring device.