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English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

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“N” Words

Nerys
noun
A female given name of Welsh origin.
Nesbitt
noun
A surname of English origin, originally referring to a place name.
ness
noun
A headland or promontory jutting out into the sea, often used as part of place names.
Nessa
noun
A female given name, commonly used as a nickname for Vanessa.
Nessie
noun
A nickname for the Loch Ness Monster, the legendary creature said to live in a Scottish lake.
nest
noun
A structure built by a bird (or other animal) to hold eggs and raise young.
nesting
noun
The process of a bird building or occupying a nest.
Nestor
noun
A wise, experienced older person, especially one who gives advice — from the wise elder king in Homer's Iliad.
net
noun
A mesh of woven cord, string, or rope used for catching or trapping things, or as a barrier.
Netflix
verb
To watch a show or movie on the streaming service Netflix, often used casually for binge-watching.
nether
adj
Lower, or situated beneath something else; often used in old or formal phrasing.
Netherlands
noun
A country in Western Europe known for its flat, low-lying land, canals, and the city of Amsterdam.
netherworld
noun
The afterlife or underworld, especially imagined as a place of punishment.
netted
adj
Formed in a criss-crossing, grid-like pattern, like a net.
Nettie
noun
A nickname for the female given names Annette or Jeannette.
netting
noun
Material made of woven mesh, or anything resembling a net.
nettle
noun
A plant covered in tiny stinging hairs that cause an itchy rash when touched.
nettles
noun
Short lengths of cord on a sail used to tie down excess fabric after reefing.
network
noun
A group of interconnected people, systems, or things, such as a social or professional circle.
networking
noun
The use of connected computer systems to share data and resources.
Neumann
name
A German surname meaning "new man," historically given to newcomers to a town.
neural
adj
Relating to nerves or the nervous system.
neurological
adj
Relating to neurology, the branch of medicine dealing with the nervous system.
neurologist
noun
A doctor who specializes in the nervous system and its disorders.
neurology
noun
The branch of medicine concerned with the brain, spinal cord, and nerves.
neuron
noun
A nerve cell that carries electrical and chemical signals through the body.
neuroscience
noun
The scientific study of the brain and nervous system.
neurosis
noun
A pattern of excessive anxiety or fear that is not severe enough to be classed as psychosis but still disrupts everyday functioning.
neurosurgeon
noun
A surgeon who operates on the brain, spine, and nervous system.
neurosurgery
noun
The medical specialty focused on surgery of the brain, spine, and nerves.
neurotic
adj
Excessively anxious or emotionally unstable.
neurotoxin
noun
A poison that specifically damages nerve cells or the nervous system.
neuter
adj
Not aligned with either side; neither one thing nor the other.
neutered
adj
Having had the reproductive organs surgically removed.
neutral
adj
Not taking sides in a conflict, dispute, or war.
neutrality
noun
The state of not taking sides in a conflict or dispute.
neutralize
verb
To cancel out or remove the effect of something.
neutrino
noun
A tiny subatomic particle with almost no mass and no electric charge that barely interacts with matter.
neutron
noun
A subatomic particle with no electric charge found in the nucleus of an atom.
Nev
name
A shortened, informal form of the given name Neville.
Nevada
name
A state in the western United States, known for Las Vegas and its desert landscape.
neve
noun
An old, now largely obsolete word for a nephew, grandson, or male cousin.
never
adv
At no time; not on any occasion.
neverland
noun
An imaginary, dreamlike place that does not really exist.
nevermind
noun
Attention or concern paid to something (mostly used in the phrase "never mind").
nevermore
adv
Never again; at no future time.
Nevers
name
A town in central France, historically the capital of the Nivernais region.
nevertheless
adv
In spite of what was just said; even so.
Nevins
name
An Irish surname, an anglicized form of Ó Cnáimhín or related names.
new
adj
Made, created, or introduced recently.
Newark
name
A city in New Jersey, United States, and the name of towns in England and elsewhere.
Newberg
name
A city in Oregon, United States.
Newberry
name
An English surname and place name, and the name of several towns in the United States.
newbie
noun
Someone who is new to a particular activity, community, or skill.
newborn
adj
Very recently born.
Newcastle
name
A city in northeast England, historically known for coal mining and shipbuilding.
newcomer
noun
A person who has recently arrived in a place or community.
Newell
name
An English surname derived from a place name meaning "new hall" or "new spring."
newfangled
adj
New in a way seen as unnecessary, trendy, or gimmicky rather than a real improvement.
newfound
adj
Discovered or gained only recently.
Newfoundland
noun
A giant working dog breed with a thick, usually black coat, prized for its strength, calm temperament, and natural swimming ability.
Newgate
name
A former gate and notorious prison in the City of London, demolished in the early 20th century.
Newhouse
name
An English surname, originally denoting someone who lived in a newly built house.
Newkirk
name
An English and Dutch surname meaning "new church."
newly
adv
Very recently; not long ago.
newlywed
noun
A person who has just gotten married.
newlyweds
noun
A couple who have recently gotten married.
Newman
name
An English surname, originally denoting a newcomer to a village or town.
Newport
name
A place name shared by several port towns and cities in England, Wales, and the United States.
news
noun
Fresh information about something that has just happened.
newscast
noun
A televised or broadcast report of current news.
newscaster
noun
A person who presents the news on television or radio.
newsflash
noun
A short urgent news bulletin interrupting regular programming to report something important.
newsletter
noun
A regularly issued publication, often emailed or mailed, giving updates on a particular topic, group, or organisation.
newsman
noun
A male journalist or reporter.
Newsome
name
An English surname, a variant of Newsham, derived from a place name.
newspaper
noun
A regularly printed or published set of pages reporting news, opinion, and other articles.
newspaperman
noun
A man who works in journalism, especially in writing or editing for a newspaper.
newsreader
noun
A presenter who reads out the news on television or radio.
newsreel
noun
A short film reporting current events, once shown in cinemas before the main feature.
newsroom
noun
The office or department of a media organisation where journalists write and prepare news stories.
newsstand
noun
A stall or small kiosk, often on a street corner, that sells newspapers and magazines.
newsworthy
adj
Significant or interesting enough to be reported as news.
newt
noun
A small amphibian, related to salamanders, that lives partly in water as an adult and has a slender body and tail.
newton
noun
The SI unit of force, equal to the force needed to accelerate one kilogram by one metre per second every second.
next
adj
Coming immediately after the current one, in place, time, or order.
nexus
noun
A connection or link between things, people, or ideas.
ney
noun
An end-blown reed flute used in traditional Middle Eastern and Central Asian music.
Ng
name
A Chinese surname, a romanization of a character meaning "yellow" or, in Cantonese, "fish," depending on the character used.
Ngai
name
A Chinese surname, also a Maori tribal-name prefix meaning "the people of."
Ngan
name
A Chinese and Vietnamese surname.
Ngo
name
A Vietnamese surname, one of the most common family names in Vietnam.
Nguyen
name
A Vietnamese surname, the most common family name in Vietnam, historically linked to the Nguyễn dynasty.
Ni
name
A Chinese surname, romanized from a character used in several Chinese family names.
nia
particle
Used at the end of a sentence to stress that something is small, trivial, or no big deal.
Niagara
noun
A powerful, overwhelming flow or outpouring of something, likened to a waterfall.
Niall
name
A masculine given name of Irish origin, meaning "champion" or "cloud," the source of the English name Neil.
Niang
name
A surname and given-name element found in Chinese and West African naming traditions.
nibble
verb
To eat something by taking small, repeated bites.
nibbles
noun
Small snack foods, such as nuts or crisps, put out for people to pick at, often alongside drinks.
nibbling
noun
The act of taking small, quick bites, or the sound this makes.
nibs
noun
An important, or self-important, person — often used sarcastically as "his nibs".
nic
noun
Informal short form of nicotine.
Nicaragua
name
A country in Central America, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, with its capital at Managua.
nice
adj
Pleasant, agreeable, or satisfactory.
nicely
adv
In a pleasant or satisfactory way.
niceness
noun
The quality of being pleasant, kind, or agreeable.
niche
noun
A small recess set into a wall, often used to display a statue or ornament.
Nichol
name
A Scottish and Irish surname derived from the given name Nicholas.
Nicholas
name
A male given name of Ancient Greek origin, borne by Saint Nicholas of Myra, the inspiration for Father Christmas.
Nicholls
name
A surname derived from the given name Nicholas.
Nichols
name
A surname derived from the given name Nicholas.
Nicholson
name
A surname meaning "son of Nicholas".
nick
noun
A small cut or notch in a surface, or the exact critical point or moment something happens.
nicked
adj
Having small cuts or notches.
nickel
noun
A hard, silvery-white metallic element (symbol Ni, atomic number 28), often used in alloys and plating.
Nickelodeon
noun
An early 20th-century movie theatre that charged five cents for admission.
Nickels
name
A surname, a variant spelling of Nichols, ultimately from the given name Nicholas.
Nicki
name
A diminutive of the female given names Nicola or Nicole, or the male name Nicholas.
Nickie
name
A given name, used for both men and women, a variant of Nicky.
nicking
noun
A small cut or notch, or the act of making one.
nickname
noun
An informal, often affectionate or descriptive name used instead of someone's real name.
nicknamed
adj
Given an informal or descriptive alternative name.
Nicks
name
A surname derived from a diminutive of Nicholas.
Nicky
name
A diminutive of Nicola, Nicole, or Nicholas, used for both men and women.
Nico
name
A given name used as a nickname for Nicholas (male) or Nicola (female).
Nicodemus
name
A Pharisee in the New Testament who secretly followed Jesus and questioned him at night.
Nicola
name
A female given name, the feminine form of Nicholas.
Nicolas
name
A male given name, a variant of Nicholas.
Nicole
name
A female given name, the feminine form of Nicolas.
Nicolette
name
A French female given name.
nicotine
noun
An addictive chemical found naturally in the tobacco plant.
nidge
verb
To dress or shape the surface of a stone using a sharp-pointed hammer.
Nie
name
A Chinese surname.
niece
noun
The daughter of one's brother, sister, or their spouse.
Nielsen
name
A Danish or Norwegian surname meaning "son of Niels".
Nietzsche
name
A German surname, most famously belonging to the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900).
Nietzschean
adj
Relating to the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche or his ideas.
Nieves
name
A Spanish surname.
nifty
adjective
Impressively clever, useful, or stylish.
nig
noun
Niggard.
Nige
name
An informal short form of the given name Nigel.
Nigel
name
A male given name of British usage, derived through Latin from a word meaning "black."
Niger
noun
An African oil-seed plant, also called niger seed, grown for its edible oil and as a common ingredient in birdseed mixes.
Nigeria
noun
A country in West Africa, the most populous nation on the continent, with Abuja as its capital and Lagos as its largest city.
Nigerian
noun
A person who is from Nigeria or has Nigerian ancestry.
nigga
noun
An informal variant spelling and pronunciation of the slur "nigger," now also used by some Black speakers (especially in African American Vernacular English and hip-hop culture) as a casual, sometimes affectionate, term of address among themselves.
nigger
noun
An extremely offensive racial slur used to refer to a Black person. Considered one of the most inflammatory words in English and avoided in almost all contexts outside quotation, historical discussion, or reclaimed use within some Black communities.
nigh
adverb
Close in time or space; almost — an old-fashioned or literary word for "near."
night
noun
The period of darkness between sunset and sunrise, when the sun is below the horizon.