abbreviation
NB
en-BEE
NB (abbreviation) means Nota bene, Latin for 'note well', used to draw attention to an important point that follows. Example: “NB: the deadline is midnight on Friday, not the following Monday.”
abbreviation
1
Nota bene, Latin for 'note well', used to draw attention to an important point that follows.
"NB: the deadline is midnight on Friday, not the following Monday."
"NB all quoted prices exclude VAT."
2
Non-binary, describing a person whose gender identity is neither exclusively male nor exclusively female.
"The form now offers male, female and NB."
"He listed himself as an NB writer in his bio."
3
New Brunswick, the Canadian province.
"Moncton, NB"
How to use NB
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA note saying 'pay attention to this', or short for non-binary.
When to use it
The nota bene sense is formal; the non-binary sense is everyday.
Memory tip
When it means nota bene, put it at the start of the sentence and follow it with a colon.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
NB:
please NB
NB that
NB and trans
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_____: the deadline is midnight on Friday, not the following Monday.
Etymology
In the first sense, an abbreviation of Latin nota bene, 'note well'; in the second, an initialism of non-binary.
Frequently asked questions
What does NB mean in an email or a document?
It means nota bene, Latin for 'note well', and it flags a point the writer does not want you to miss. It normally opens a short sentence set apart from the main text, often at the foot of a note.
What is the difference between NB and PS?
NB highlights something important within or beside the main text and is usually formal. PS, from Latin post scriptum, adds an afterthought at the end of a letter or email and is more casual.
How is NB used to mean non-binary?
It is a written shorthand for non-binary, seen in profiles, forms and casual writing. Enby, spelling out the letters, is the spoken and informal equivalent.
What is the meaning of NB?
"NB" (abbreviation) means nota bene, Latin for 'note well', used to draw attention to an important point that follows.
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