adv
Common
ne
nuh
Ne (adv) means an archaic word meaning "not.". Example: “I ne wish to quarrel with thee this night.”
adv
1
An archaic word meaning "not."
""God's nails, I ne knew her. I went to another stead in the yard to be further from her cries.""
— James Meek, To Calais (2019)
"I ne wish to quarrel with thee this night."
"The knight ne dared speak, for the king was angry."
"He knew not, ne cared, what would happen next."
conj
1
An archaic word meaning "nor."
"He had no gold ne silver to give the traveller."
"No bird sang ne breeze stirred in the quiet valley."
"She spoke ne moved from her chair."
How to use ne
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn old English word for "not" or "nor," found mainly in archaic or poetic writing.
When to use it
Obsolete in modern standard English; encountered mostly in older literature.
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Etymology
From Old English ne, "not," from a common Germanic and Indo-European negative particle.
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
What does “ne” mean?
The word “ne” means an archaic word meaning "not.". In plain terms, an old English word for "not" or "nor," found mainly in archaic or poetic writing.
How do you pronounce “ne”?
“Ne” is pronounced nuh (/nə/ in IPA).
How do you use “ne” in a sentence?
Here is “ne” used in a sentence: “He knew not, ne cared, what would happen next.”
What part of speech is “ne”?
Depending on how it is used, “ne” can be an adverb and a conjunction.
Where does the word “ne” come from?
The word “ne” comes from Old English. From Old English ne, "not," from a common Germanic and Indo-European negative particle.
Is “ne” a common word?
“Ne” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “ne” have?
“Ne” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an archaic word meaning "not.".
How was ne used in Old and Middle English?
Ne was the basic negative word, placed directly before the verb to mean "not", and it also served as a conjunction meaning "nor". It frequently contracted with common verbs — ne wolde became nolde ("would not") — and it was often paired with a second negative for emphasis, since double negatives were normal grammar at the time.
Is ne still used in modern English?
No — ne is archaic and appears only in historical texts or deliberately old-fashioned writing. A fossil of it survives in the phrase willy-nilly, from "will he, nill he", where nill combines ne and will to mean "not want".
Is the archaic English ne the same as the French ne?
They are separate words in separate languages, but they do the same job: both are negative particles meaning "not". English ne died out centuries ago, while French ne is still standard today in pairings such as ne ... pas; both ultimately descend from the same ancient Indo-European negative root.
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