Diagram of the Nose and Label – Outside, Framework, Inside

All 18 parts on the diagram

Show the list

Outside 6

Nostril The opening that lets air into the nose. Also called the naris.
Bridge The upper part of the ridge, over the nasal bones.
Tip The free end of the nose, also called the apex.
Root The top of the nose, where it joins the forehead.
Ala The rounded wing at the side of each nostril.
Columella The strip between the two nostrils, under the tip.

Framework 6

Nasal bone One of two small bones that hold up the bridge.
Frontal process of the maxilla A strip of the upper jaw bone behind the nasal bone.
Lateral cartilage A flat, triangular cartilage below the nasal bone.
Septal cartilage The plate between the two sides. Only its front edge shows here.
Major alar cartilage A thin plate bent around the nostril of its side.
Minor alar cartilages Three or four small plates behind the major alar cartilage.

Inside 6

Inferior concha The lowest of three curved shelves on the side wall.
Middle concha The middle one of three curved shelves on the side wall.
Superior concha The highest and smallest of the three curved shelves.
Vestibule The entrance just inside the nostril, lined with skin and hairs.
Olfactory region The top of the cavity, where the sense of smell begins.
Choana The opening at the back, into the upper throat.

How this list was compiled: Every name checked on 2026-10-02 and kept only where two of these use it. (1) Gray's Anatomy (1918), The Organ of Smell, https://www.bartleby.com/107/223.html : the root, the apex, the nares and the columna between them, the dorsum and its upper part the bridge, the ala; the nasal bones and the frontal processes of the maxillae; the cartilage of the septum, the lateral, greater alar and lesser alar cartilages; the vestibule, the olfactory region, the superior, middle and inferior conchae and the choanae. (2) Wikipedia, Human nose, text only, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_nose : the nasal root, bridge, dorsum, tip or apex, ala, nostrils and columella; the nasal bones and each maxilla's frontal process; the septal, lateral, major alar and minor alar cartilages; the nasal vestibule, the three conchae and the choanae. (3) TeachMeAnatomy, The External Nose and The Nasal Cavity, https://teachmeanatomy.info/head/organs/the-nose/external-nose/ and https://teachmeanatomy.info/head/organs/the-nose/nasal-cavity/ : root, apex, dorsum, nares and ala nasi; lateral, alar and septal cartilages; vestibule, respiratory region and olfactory region; inferior, middle and superior conchae. (4) National Cancer Institute, SEER Training Modules, Nose and Nasal Cavities, https://training.seer.cancer.gov/anatomy/respiratory/passages/nose.html : the nasal bones and the maxillae form the bridge; the nostrils or external nares. (5) A. M. Buchanan, Manual of Anatomy (1914), https://archive.org/details/manualanatomysy03buchgoog : the root, the tip, the dorsum and its upper part the bridge of the nose, the nostrils or anterior nares, the ala, and the columella nasi between the nostrils. (6) Steve Parker, The Lungs and Respiratory System (1996), https://archive.org/details/lungsrespiratory0000park : the major alar cartilage, with three or four smaller minor alar cartilages behind it. Licence: own work

The drawing: Drawn for this site on 2026-10-01 from plain geometry; nothing traced. Licence: own work

How it works

This diagram of the nose labeled in three side views opens on the outside: root, bridge, tip, ala, nostril and columella. Two more views show the framework and the inside. Read the names, then press Quiz me.

Read the full guide

Outside and framework

To label the parts of the external nose, start at the root, where the nose meets the forehead, and go down the bridge to the tip. Each nostril has an ala at its side, and the columella runs between the two. The bones of the nose labeled in the second view are the nasal bone and the frontal process of the maxilla; below them the framework is cartilage.

Inside

The vestibule is just inside the nostril. Three curved shelves, the conchae, stand on the side wall, with a passage called a meatus under each. The olfactory region is at the top, and the choana opens into the upper throat.

Naris is the textbook word for nostril, and apex for the tip. The quiz accepts both.
Older books say greater and lesser alar cartilage for major and minor.

Questions and answers

What are the parts of the nose?

Outside: the root, the bridge, the tip, two nostrils with an ala beside each, and the columella between them. Inside each nostril is a nasal cavity, which starts with the vestibule and has three conchae on its side wall.

What bones are in the nose?

The upper part of the outer nose has a bony framework: the two nasal bones and the frontal processes of the two maxillae, the upper jaw bones. The lower part, down to the tip, is cartilage.

What is the bridge of the nose?

The upper part of the ridge of the nose, where the nasal bones lie under the skin. The whole ridge, from the root to the tip, is called the dorsum.

Can I print a label the parts of the nose worksheet?

Yes. The page has two print links. One prints the drawing with numbered rings and a numbered line for each part to fill in; the other prints the same sheet with every name written in.

Diagram of the Nose and Labels