English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

Noone

name

An Irish surname, a variant anglicization related to Noonan.

nooo

interjection

A drawn-out, exaggerated way of saying "no," used to show strong dismay, disbelief, or mock despair.

Noor

name

A given name used for both males and females of Arabic origin, meaning "light."

noose

noun

A loop of rope that tightens when pulled, most often associated with hangings or with the end of a lasso.

nope

particle

An informal, emphatic way of saying "no."

nor

conjunction

Used to link a second negative statement to a first, meaning "and not."

Nora

name

A feminine given name, a short form of Eleanor or Honora.

Norah

name

A feminine given name, a variant spelling of Nora.

Norbert

name

A masculine given name of Germanic origin, meaning "bright north" or "famous from the north."

Nord

name

A surname of Scandinavian and German origin, meaning "north."

Nordic

adj

Relating to the Nordic countries — Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland — or their people and culture.

Noreen

name

A feminine given name, an anglicized form of the Irish Nóirín, a diminutive of Nora.

Norfolk

noun

A style of belted jacket with box pleats, traditionally worn for outdoor sports.

nori

noun

A type of edible seaweed, typically dried and pressed into thin sheets and used to wrap sushi.

Noriega

name

A Spanish surname, most associated with Manuel Noriega, the former military dictator of Panama.

Noriko

name

A feminine Japanese given name.

norm

noun

What is considered typical, standard, or expected.

Norma

noun

A carpenter's or mason's square, used for checking and marking right angles.

normal

adjective

Usual, typical, or expected; conforming to what is standard.

normalcy

noun

The state of being normal; a return to usual, stable conditions.

normality

noun

The state of being normal or usual.

normally

adverb

Under usual conditions; typically.

Norman

noun

A member of the Scandinavian-descended people who settled in Normandy, France, and later conquered England in 1066.

normie

noun

Slang for an ordinary, mainstream person with conventional tastes and interests, especially as used by online subcultures to describe outsiders.

Norrell

name

An English surname.

Norrie

noun

An informal term for someone from the north side of Cork City, Ireland.

Norris

name

An English surname originally denoting a person from the north, and also used as a given name; also the name of several small towns in the United States.

Norse

adjective

Relating to Norway or, more broadly, to Scandinavia, its people, and its languages.

north

noun

The direction to the left when facing the sunrise; one of the four cardinal directions.

northbound

adjective

Heading or leading toward the north.

northeast

noun

The direction exactly between north and east.

northeastern

adjective

Located in, from, or relating to the northeast.

northern

adjective

Situated in, facing, or coming from the north.

Northman

noun

A historical term for a Scandinavian or Norse person, especially a Viking.

Northumberland

noun

The northernmost county of England, bordering Scotland and the North Sea.

Northumbria

noun

An Anglo-Saxon kingdom that once covered much of northeastern England and southeastern Scotland.

northward

adverb

Toward the north.

northwest

noun

The direction exactly between north and west.

northwestern

adjective

Located in, from, or relating to the northwest.

Norton

noun

A motorcycle made by the historic British manufacturer Norton Motorcycle Company.

Norval

name

A locality in the Rural City of Ararat in central western Victoria, Australia.

Norway

name

A country in Scandinavia, northern Europe, officially the Kingdom of Norway.

Norwegian

adj

Relating to Norway, its people, or its language.

Norwich

name

A historic city in Norfolk, England, and the county town of the region.

Norwood

verb

To go bald in the classic male-pattern-baldness way, especially as described by hair-loss classification scales.

nose

noun

The part of the face that contains the nostrils and is used for breathing and smelling.

nosedive

noun

A steep, headfirst drop, whether physical or figurative, such as a sharp fall in price.

Nosferatu

noun

A vampire, especially as depicted in gothic horror fiction and film.

nosh

noun

Informal British and Yiddish-influenced word for food, or a light snack.

nosing

noun

The front edge of a stair tread that projects out over the riser below it.

nostalgia

noun

A wistful longing for the past, or for home and familiar things.

nostalgic

adj

Feeling or expressing nostalgia; longing for the past.

Nostradamus

name

A 16th-century French astrologer and author famous for his cryptic prophecies.

nostril

noun

Either of the two openings in the nose used for breathing and smelling.

nosy

adj

Overly curious about other people's private affairs; prying.

not

adv

A word used to make a statement, verb, or phrase negative.

notable

adj

Worth noticing or remembering; significant or distinguished.

notably

adv

Used to point out a particularly important example; especially.

notary

noun

A person legally authorized to witness signatures, certify documents, and administer oaths.

notation

noun

A system of symbols used to represent information, especially in music, math, or science.

notch

noun

A V-shaped or angular cut or indentation in an edge or surface.

note

noun

A short piece of writing made to record or remember something.

noted

adj

Well known and respected, especially for a particular skill or achievement.

notepad

noun

A small pad of paper used for writing notes.

noteworthy

adj

Deserving attention or notice; significant.

nother

adj

A different one; another one (used informally, often in the phrase "a whole nother").

nothing

pron

Not anything; no thing at all.

nothingness

noun

The state of not existing; complete emptiness or void.

notice

verb

To become aware of something; to observe.

noticeable

adj

Easy to see or notice; obvious.

noticing

verb

Becoming aware of something; observing or paying attention to it.

notification

noun

A message or alert informing someone of something.

notify

verb

To tell someone officially about something; to inform.

noting

verb

Writing something down or mentioning it so it is recorded or remembered.

notion

noun

An idea, belief, or understanding about something.

notoriety

noun

The state of being well known for something bad; infamy.

notorious

adj

Famous or well known for something bad.

notoriously

adv

In a way that is widely known, usually for something negative or difficult.

notwithstanding

prep

In spite of; despite.

nougat

noun

A chewy confection made from whipped sugar or honey, often with nuts folded in.

nought

noun

Zero; the number or figure representing nothing.

noun

noun

A word that names a person, place, thing, or idea.

nourish

verb

To feed something so it grows and stays healthy.

nourished

adj

Given the food or care needed to be healthy.

nourishing

adj

Providing the nutrients needed for health and growth.

nourishment

noun

Food or nutrients needed to live and grow; the act of providing them.

nous

noun

Practical common sense; the ability to think and act sensibly.

nouveau

adj

New or fashionably modern, often used ironically or in borrowed French phrases.

Nova

noun

A star that suddenly becomes much brighter for a period before fading back.

Novak

name

A surname and occasional given name of Czech, Slovak, or South Slavic origin, historically meaning "newcomer."

novel

adj

New and original, in an interesting or unusual way.

novelist

noun

A person who writes novels.

novelty

noun

The quality of being new, unusual, or interesting because it hasn't been seen before.

November

noun

The eleventh month of the year, between October and December.

novice

noun

Someone who is new to an activity or skill and still learning the basics.

Novotny

name

A surname of Czech origin.

now

adv

At this present moment.

nowadays

adv

In the present time, as opposed to the past.

nowhere

adv

Not in, at, or to any place.

nowt

pron

Nothing (a Northern English dialect form).

nox

noun

Any of several nitrogen oxide gases produced by burning fuel, a major source of air pollution.

noxious

adj

Harmful or poisonous, especially to health.

Nozomi

name

A feminine Japanese given name, also meaning "wish" or "hope."

nozzle

noun

A narrow, often tapered spout fitted to a pipe or hose to control the flow of a liquid or gas.

Nri

name

A medieval West African kingdom of the Nri-Igbo people, a subgroup of the Igbo.

Ns

symbol

An abbreviation used in weather reporting for nimbostratus, a thick, grey rain cloud.

nu

noun

The thirteenth letter of the Greek alphabet (Ν, ν).

nuance

noun

A subtle difference or shade of meaning, feeling, or tone.

nuanced

adj

Showing careful attention to small but meaningful differences; not simplistic.

nub

noun

The central point or essence of a matter.

Nubia

name

A historical region along the Nile in what is now southern Egypt and northern Sudan.

Nubian

adj

Relating to Nubia or its people.

nuclear

adj

Relating to the nucleus of an atom, or to energy released by splitting or joining atomic nuclei.

nucleus

noun

The central, positively charged part of an atom, made of protons and neutrons.

nude

adj

Wearing no clothes; naked.

nudge

verb

To push someone or something gently, often to get their attention.

nudie

adj

Featuring nudity; showing people with no clothes on.

nudist

noun

A person who practises nudism, believing clothing is unnecessary in appropriate settings.

nudity

noun

The state of not wearing any clothes.

Nugent

name

A surname of Norman origin, also used as place names in Australia and the Caribbean.

nugget

noun

A small rounded lump, especially of gold or other precious metal found in its natural state.

nuggets

intj

Used to express mild annoyance or frustration, similar to "darn" or "rats."

nuh

adv

An informal spelling used to represent a casual or dialectal pronunciation of "no".

nuisance

noun

A minor annoyance or source of inconvenience.

nuke

noun

A nuclear weapon.

null

adj

Having no legal or binding force; invalid.

num

intj

An expression imitating the sound of eating, used to show that food tastes good.

numb

adj

Unable to feel physical sensation, especially because of cold or pressure on a nerve.

number

noun

A value used to count, measure, or label something.

numbered

adj

Marked or labelled with a number.

numbering

noun

A system or sequence of numbers used to label items.

Numbers

noun

Plural of number: quantities, figures, or amounts, especially when discussing statistics.

numbing

adj

Causing a loss of physical or emotional sensation.

numbness

noun

A loss of physical sensation in part of the body.

numbnuts

noun

A slang, mildly mocking term for a foolish or clumsy person.

numerical

adj

Relating to, or expressed in, numbers.

numero

noun

A number, especially used in the phrase "numero uno" to mean the best or the first.

numerous

adj

Existing or occurring in large numbers; many.

nun

noun

A woman who has taken religious vows and lives in a convent, typically as part of a Christian order.

Nuna

name

An alternate name for the ancient supercontinent Columbia.

Nunez

name

A Spanish surname (also spelled Núñez).

nunnery

noun

A community of nuns, or the building where they live; a convent.

nuptial

adj

Relating to marriage or a wedding.

nuptials

noun

A wedding ceremony.

Nur

name

A township in Qira County, in the Hotan prefecture of China's Xinjiang region.

Nuremberg

name

A city in Bavaria, Germany, historically notable for its medieval old town and as the site of the post-World War II war crimes trials.

Nuri

name

A masculine given name of Arabic origin, related to a word meaning "light."

nurse

noun

A person trained to care for the sick or injured, typically working under a doctor.

nursemaid

noun

A woman employed to care for young children, especially in the past.

nursing

noun

The profession or practice of caring for the sick, injured, or elderly.