name
Common
Nintendo
nihn-TEHN-doh
Nintendo (name) means a major Japanese company famous for video games and game consoles, including Mario and the Switch. Example: “Nintendo announced a new console at the trade show.”
name
1
A major Japanese company famous for video games and game consoles, including Mario and the Switch.
"Nintendo announced a new console at the trade show."
noun
1
(informal) A video game console made by Nintendo, or loosely, any game console.
"These professionals are the sort whose children play with Nintendos and own bikes"
— Lila Abu-Lughod, Dramas of Nationhood: The Politics of Television in Egypt (2005)
"Wanna play on my Nintendo after school?"
"The kids spent the whole weekend on the Nintendo."
"The only message at home was from my nephew, letting me know my mother was back home, safe and sound, except for a sore "Nintendo thumb"."
— Ilene Schneider, Chanukah Guilt (2007)
How to use Nintendo
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe video game company behind Mario and Zelda, or casually, its consoles.
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Word forms
- Plural
- Nintendos
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
_____ announced a new console at the trade show.
Etymology
From Japanese 任天堂 (Nintendō), the company's name since 1889, originally a maker of playing cards.
Class of 1889
Nintendo joined the language around 1889.
See the full Class of 1889 →
Rhymes for Nintendo
See all rhymes for Nintendo →Frequently asked questions
What does “Nintendo” mean?
The word “Nintendo” means a major Japanese company famous for video games and game consoles, including Mario and the Switch. In plain terms, the video game company behind Mario and Zelda, or casually, its consoles.
How do you pronounce “Nintendo”?
“Nintendo” is pronounced nihn-TEHN-doh (/nɪnˈtɛndoʊ/ in IPA).
How do you use “Nintendo” in a sentence?
Here is “Nintendo” used in a sentence: “Nintendo announced a new console at the trade show.”
What part of speech is “Nintendo”?
Depending on how it is used, “Nintendo” can be a name and a noun.
Where does the word “Nintendo” come from?
The word “Nintendo” dates back to around 1889 and comes from Japanese. From Japanese 任天堂 (Nintendō), the company's name since 1889, originally a maker of playing cards.
Is “Nintendo” a common word?
“Nintendo” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “Nintendo” have?
“Nintendo” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a major Japanese company famous for video games and game consoles, including Mario and the Switch.
Why do some people call any game console "a Nintendo"?
Because Nintendo's consoles were so dominant in many households, the brand name slipped into informal use as a generic word for a video game console, much as some people say "hoover" for any vacuum cleaner. Dictionaries record this loose informal sense, though strictly a Nintendo is a console made by Nintendo.
Should Nintendo be capitalised?
Yes. Nintendo is a trademark and company name, so it takes a capital N in all uses, including the informal one referring to a console: "the kids are playing the Nintendo". Writing it lowercase is considered an error in edited prose.
What is Nintendo best known for?
Nintendo is a major Japanese company famous for video games and game consoles. Its best-known creations include the Mario franchise and the Switch console.
Is it correct to say "Nintendos" as a plural?
Yes, in informal use. When Nintendo is used loosely as a noun for a console, it takes a regular plural: "they owned two Nintendos over the years". In formal writing, prefer naming the product instead: "two Nintendo consoles".
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