What does "snorkel" mean?
A hollow tube, held in the mouth, or mounted on and opening into a diving mask, used by swimmers for breathing underwater.
Snorkel
noun, verb
noun, verb ·2 syllables ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A hollow tube, held in the mouth, or mounted on and opening into a diving mask, used by swimmers for breathing underwater.
- Grammar: snorkel is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: acid, adjutage, air cylinder, air tube.
- Useful contrasts: dive, natural breathing, submerge.
- Usage evidence: Tom bought a mask and a snorkel so he could go snorkeling with his friends.
How to use "snorkel"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "snorkel" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "snorkel" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "snorkel" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "snorkel" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "snorkel" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "acid" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "snorkel", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A hollow tube, held in the mouth, or mounted on and opening into a diving mask, used by swimmers for breathing underwater.
"They wore snorkels while exploring the coral reef."
- 2 air passage provided by a retractable device containing intake and exhaust pipes; permits a submarine to stay submerged for extended periods of time wordnet
- 3 A retractable tube fitted in diesel-engine submarines to allow sufficient ventilation that the engines may be used at periscope depth.
- 4 breathing device consisting of a bent tube fitting into a swimmer's mouth and extending above the surface; allows swimmer to breathe while face down in the water wordnet
- 5 A snorkel parka.
Verb
- 1 To use a snorkel.
"We spent the afternoon snorkeling in the clear blue waters."
- 2 dive with a snorkel wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Tom bought a mask and a snorkel so he could go snorkeling with his friends."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "snorkel"?
Common synonyms include: acid, adjutage, air cylinder, air tube, aqua lung, aqua-lung.
How do you use "snorkel" in a sentence?
Tom bought a mask and a snorkel so he could go snorkeling with his friends.
Etymology
Borrowed from German Schnorchel (“(submarine) snorkel”), related to schnarchen (“to snore”). Thus named because of the submarine snorkel's functional similarity to a nose and because of its noise when in use. The anglicized spelling was first recorded in 1945. See, for example, Mark S. Watson, "New Epoch in Sea War", The Baltimore Sun, December 31, 1945, p. 8: "The Germans' earlier quest of the last important objective, it will be remembered, had produced the Snorkel, a long exhaust tube whose vent reached above water and permitted a submerged vessel to discharge its Diesel fumes in open air."