What this suffix does
-nosed describes the nose or, figuratively, someone's attitude: hard-nosed (tough, practical, "a hard-nosed businessman"), snub-nosed.
ESEN
Suffix · forms adjectives
-nosed
Describes the shape of a nose or, figuratively, someone's attitude: hard-nosed (tough, practical) and snub-nosed (having a short, upturned nose).
In Spanish: de nariz / duro / perspicazIntermediate
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
How it is formed
Adjective + nosed.
- hard + nosedhard-nosed (tough, practical)
- sharp + nosedsharp-nosed (perceptive, sharp)
- snub + nosedsnub-nosed (having a short, upturned nose)
This is not a productive rule you can apply freely: it is a closed set of fixed expressions. Learn them one by one as set phrases.
How it is pronounced
-nosed
Tap the button to hear how the ending sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
Examples
Base word
With -nosed
In a phrase
- hardhard-nosedThe hard-nosed negotiator refused to lower the price.
- sharpsharp-nosedThe sharp-nosed reporter smelled a story right away.
- pugpug-nosedThe pug-nosed puppy was the cutest one in the litter.
- snubsnub-nosedShe has a cute little snub nose.
- coldcold-nosedThe cold-nosed puppy nuzzled against her hand.
Common mistakes
hard-nosed = aggressive or confrontational
hard-nosed = unsentimental, practical, and not easily swayed by emotion or pressure
"Hard-nosed" does not mean aggressive. It means practical, realistic, and resistant to emotional appeals or pressure. A hard-nosed negotiator drives a good deal not through aggression but through clear-eyed evaluation of what is worth conceding and what is not. The "hardness" is in the refusal to be swayed, not in the manner of engagement.
sharp-nosed = physically having a sharp (pointed) nose
sharp-nosed in figurative use = having a sharp, penetrating capacity for detection or analysis
"Sharp-nosed" can describe a physically pointed nose, but in literary and figurative use it describes someone whose capacity for detection, investigation, or analysis is sharp and penetrating — like a nose that can detect what others miss. It is a quality of attention and discernment, not of physical appearance.
A trick to remember it
"Nosed" = having a nose. For shape it's literal (snub-NOSED). For attitude, picture a nose made of stone: hard-NOSED = tough, not swayed by sentimentality.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
"snub-nosed" describes a nose that is...
Frequently asked questions
What does the suffix -nosed mean in English?
The suffix -nosed describes the shape of a nose or, figuratively, someone's attitude: hard-nosed (tough, practical) and snub-nosed (having a short, upturned nose). In Spanish it usually maps to de nariz / duro / perspicaz.
Can you give an example of a word with -nosed?
"hard" becomes "hard-nosed". It is a typical example of the -nosed suffix.
Other useful suffixes
-eyed
Describes what someone's eyes are like, or how they see the world: wide-eyed (eyes wide open, naive) and eagle-eyed (sharp-sighted, observant).
-headed
having a specified type of mental clarity, character, or state of mind
-witted
Describes how quickly someone thinks: quick-witted (sharp, fast-thinking) versus dim-witted (slow, not very sharp).
Learn every English suffix
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