Etymology dictionary

noso- — nucleus (n.)

noso-

word-forming element meaning "disease," from Greek nosos "disease, sickness, malady," a word of unknown origin.

"relating to a hospital," 1849 (earlier in German and French), from Late Latin nosocomium, from Greek nosokomeion "an infirmary," from nosokomein "to take care of the sick," from nosos "disease, sickness," a word of unknown origin, + komein "take care of, attend to." Nosocome was a 17c. word for "hospital."

nosology (n.)

"study of diseases, systematic classification of diseases," 1721, from Modern Latin nosologia (perhaps via French nosologie); see noso- "disease" + -logy "study of." Related: Nosological; nosologist.

nostalgic (adj.)

1782, in medical writings, "relating to, characteristic of, or affected with nostalgia, homesick" (in nostalgic insanity), from nostalgia + -ic. The modern weaker sense of "evoking a wistful and sentimental yearning for the past" is by 1842. Related: Nostalgically.

nostalgia (n.)

1726, "morbid longing to return to one's home or native country, severe homesickness considered as a disease," Modern Latin, coined 1688 in a dissertation on the topic at the University of Basel by scholar Johannes Hofer (1669-1752) as a rendering of German heimweh "homesickness" (for which see home + woe).

From Greek algos "pain, grief, distress" (see -algia) + nostos "homecoming," from neomai "to reach some place, escape, return, get home," according to Watkins from PIE *nes- "to return safely home" (cognate with Old Norse nest "food for a journey," Sanskrit nasate "approaches, joins," German genesen "to recover," Gothic ganisan "to heal," Old English genesen "to recover"). French nostalgie is in French army medical manuals by 1754.

Originally in reference to the Swiss and said to be peculiar to them and often fatal, whether by its own action or in combination with wounds or disease.

By 1830s the word was used of any intense homesickness: that of sailors, convicts, African slaves. "The bagpipes produced the same effects sometimes in the Scotch regiments while serving abroad" [Penny Magazine," Nov. 14, 1840]. It is listed among the "endemic diseases" in the "Cyclopaedia of Practical Medicine" [London, 1833, edited by three M.D.s], which defines it as "The concourse of depressing symptoms which sometimes arise in persons who are absent from their native country, when they are seized with a longing desire of returning to their home and friends and the scenes their youth ...."

It was a military medical diagnosis principally, and was considered a serious medical problem by the North in the American Civil War:

Transferred sense (the main modern one) of "wistful yearning for the past" is recorded by 1920, perhaps from such use of nostalgie in French literature. The longing for a distant place also necessarily involves a separation in time.

Nostradamus

"a prophet, seer, a fortune-teller," 1660s, from Latinized name of Michel de Nostredame (1503-1566), French physician and astrologer, who published his collection of predictions, titled "Centuries," in 1555.

Nostratic (adj.)

pertaining to a proposed meta-family of languages including Indo-European, Semitic, Altaic, and Dravidian, 1966 (Nostratian is from 1931), from Latin nostratis "of our country," from nostras "our countrymen," plural of nostrum, neuter of noster "our," from nos "we" (from PIE *nes- (2); see us).

nostril (n.)

"one of the external openings of the nose, a nasal orifice," late 14c., nostrille, from Old English nosþyrl, nosðirl, literally "the hole of the nose," from nosu "nose" (from PIE root *nas- "nose") + þyrel "hole" (from PIE root *tere- (2) "cross over, pass through, overcome"). For metathesis of -r- and vowel, see wright. After the second element became obsolete as an independent, its form was corrupted in the compound.

nostrum (n.)

c. 1600, "a medicine made of secret ingredients by secret methods," but commonly "quack medicine," from Latin nostrum remedium "our remedy" (or some similar phrase), presumably indicating "prepared by the person offering it," from Latin nostrum, neuter of noster "our," from nos "we," from PIE *nes- (2); see us. In extended use, "a pet scheme for accomplishing something" (1749).

no sweat (interj.)

"no problem, that can be done without difficulty," U.S. colloquial, attested by 1953; see no + sweat (n.). Said to be originally military jargon from the Korean War.

not (adv.)

negative particle, a word expressing negation, denial, refusal, or prohibition, mid-13c., unstressed variant of noht, naht "in no way" (see naught). As an interjection to negate what was said before or reveal it as sarcasm, it is attested by 1900, popularized 1989 by "Wayne's World" sketches on "Saturday Night Live" TV show.

To not know X from Y (one's ass from one's elbow, shit from Shinola, etc.) was a construction attested from c. 1930 in modern use; but compare Middle English not know an A from a windmill (c. 1400). Double negative construction not un- was derided by Orwell, but is persistent and ancient in English, popular with Milton and the Anglo-Saxon poets.

nota bene

a Latin phrase meaning "mark well, observe particularly," 1721, from Latin nota, second person singular imperative of notare "to mark" (from nota "mark, sign, note, character, letter;" see note (n.)) + bene "well" (see bene-). Often abbreviated N.B.

notabilia (n.)

"notable things," from Latin notabilia, neuter plural of notabilis "noteworthy" (see notable).

notable (adj.)

mid-14c., "worthy of note, important, praiseworthy," from Old French notable "well-known, notable, remarkable" (13c.), from Latin notabilis "noteworthy, extraordinary," from notare "to mark, note, make a note," from nota "mark, sign, means of recognition" (see note (n.)). Meaning "well-known, prominent, worthy of respect" is from early 15c. The noun meaning "a person of distinction" is recorded by 1815. Related: Notably; notableness.

notability (n.)

mid-14c., notabilite, "a noteworthy observation or circumstance," from Old French notabilite and directly from Medieval Latin *notabilitatem (nominative *notabilitas), from Latin notabilis "noteworthy" (see notable). From early 15c. as "excellence, pre-eminence." In late 18c.-early 19c. also "housewifely industry."

notarize (v.)

"have (a document) legalized by a notary," 1930 (implied in notarized), from notary + -ize. Related: Notarizing.

notary (n.)

c. 1300, notarie, "a clerk, a personal secretary; person whose vocation was making notes or memoranda of the acts of others who wished to preserve them, and writing up deeds and contracts," from Old French notarie "scribe, clerk, secretary" (12c.) and directly from Latin notarius "shorthand writer, clerk, secretary," from notare, "to note," from nota "shorthand character, letter, note" (see note (n.)).

Meaning "person authorized to draw up and authenticate contracts and other legal instruments" is from mid-14c.; especially in notary public (late 15c.), which has the French order of noun-adjective. Related: Notarial.

notation (n.)

1560s, "explanation of a term" (a sense now obsolete), from French notation (14c.) and directly from Latin notationem (nominative notatio) "a marking, notation, designation; etymology; shorthand; explanation," noun of action from past-participle stem of notare "to note" (see note (v.)). Meaning "a note, an annotation" is from 1580s. Meaning "system of representing numbers or quantities by signs or symbols" is attested from 1706. Related: Notational.

notate (v.)

"set down in musical notation," 1871, a back-formation from notation, or else from Latin notatus, past participle of notare "to mark, note, make a note," from nota "mark, sign, means of recognition" (see note (n.)). Related: Notated; notating.

notch (n.)

"a v-shaped nick or indentation," 1570s, probably a misdivision of an otch (see N for other examples), from French oche "notch," from Old French ochier "to notch," a word of unknown origin. Said to be unconnected to nock. U.S. meaning "narrow defile or passage between mountains" is from 1718, mostly a New England and New York word for what is called further south a gap.

notch (v.)

1590s, "cut a notch or notches in," from notch (n.). Earlier verb (before misdivision) was Middle English ochen "to cut, slash" (c. 1400). Meaning "to place in a notch, to fit (an arrow) to the string by the notch" is from 1630s. Meaning "to mark or score" (1837) is sporting slang, originally in cricket, from the old method of keeping score; notch (n.) as "a nick in a stick, etc., as a means of keeping score" is from 1570s (also compare score, tally). Related: Notched; notching.

note (n.)

c. 1300, "a song, music, melody; instrumental music; a bird-song; a musical note of a definite pitch," from Old French note and directly from Latin nota "letter, character, note," originally "a mark, sign, means of recognition," which traditionally has been connected to notus, past participle of noscere "to come to know," but de Vaan reports this is "impossible," and with no attractive alternative explanation, it is of unknown origin.

Meaning "notice, attention" is from early 14c.; that of "reputation, fame" is from late 14c. From late 14c. as "mark, sign, or token by which a thing may be known." From late 14c. as "a sign by which a musical tone is represented to the eye." Meaning "a brief written abstract of facts" is from 1540s; meaning "a short, informal written communication" is from 1590s. From 1550s as "a mark in the margin of a book calling attention to something in the text," hence "a statement subsidiary to the text adding or elucidating something." From 1680s as "a paper acknowledging a debts, etc." In perfumery, "a basic component of a fragrance which gives it its character," by 1905.

note (v.)

c. 1200, noten, "observe, take mental note of, mark carefully," from Old French noter "indicate, designate; take note of, write down," from Latin notare "to mark, note, make a note," from nota "mark, sign, note, character, letter" (see note (n.)). Sense of "mention separately or specially among others" is from late 14c. Meaning "to set down in writing, make a memorandum of" is from early 14c. Related: Noted; noting.

noted (adj.)

c. 1300, "observed," past-participle adjective from note (v.). Meaning "observed for some special quality, conspicuous, distinguished" is from mid-15c. Related: Notedness.

notebook (n.)

also note-book, "book in which notes may be entered," 1570s, from note (n.) + book (n.).

notepad (n.)

also note-pad, "pad of paper for writing notes," 1907, from note (n.) + pad (n.).

note-paper (n.)

"writing paper of small sizes, suitable for notes or correspondence," 1848, from note (n.) + paper (n.).

noteworthy (adj.)

"worthy of notice, remarkable," 1550s, from note (v.) + worthy. Related: Noteworthiness.

nothing (n., pron.)

"no thing, not any thing, not something," Middle English, from Old English naþing, naðinc, from nan "not one" (see none) + þing "thing" (see thing). Meaning "insignificant thing, thing of no consequence" is from c. 1600. As an adverb, "not at all, in no degree," late Old English. As an adjective by 1961. For nothing "not at all" is from c. 1300. Nothing to it, indicating something easy to do, is by 1925. Nothing to write home about, indicating an unremarkable circumstance or thing, is from 1917 among the World War I soldiers.

nother (pron.)

word formed from misdivision of another as a nother (see N for other examples), c. 1300. From 14c.-16c. no nother is sometimes encountered as a misdivision of none other or perhaps as an emphatic negative; Old English had noðer as a contraction of ne oðer "no other." Hence Middle English nother-gates (adv.) "not otherwise" (c. 1300).

nothingness (n.)

"nonexistence, absence or negation of being," 1630s, from nothing + -ness.

nothingarian (n.)

"one who has no particular belief," especially in religious matters, 1789, from nothing + ending from unitarian, etc. Related: Nothingarianism.

notice (n.)

early 15c., "information, knowledge, intelligence," from Old French notece (14c.), and directly from Latin notitia "a being known, celebrity, fame, knowledge," from notus "known," past participle of (g)noscere "come to know, to get to know, get acquainted (with)," from PIE *gno-sko-, a suffixed form of PIE root *gno- "to know."

Sense of "formal statement conveying information or warning" is attested from 1590s. Meaning "heed, regard, cognizance" (as in take notice) is from 1590s. Meaning "a sign giving information" is from 1805. Meaning "written remarks or comments" especially on a new book or play is by 1835.

noticeable (adj.)

1796, "worthy of notice, likely to attract attention," from notice (n.) + -able. Meaning "capable of being noticed or observed" is from 1809. Related: Noticeably.

notice (v.)

early 15c., "to notify, give notice of" (a sense obsolete since 17c.), from notice (n.). The sense of "to point out, refer to, remark upon" is from 1620s. The meaning "to take notice of, perceive, become aware of" is attested by 1757, but it was long execrated by purists in England as an Americanism (also occasionally as a Scottishism, the two offenses not being clearly distinguished). Ben Franklin noted it as one of the words (along with verbal uses of progress and advocate) that seemed to him to have become popular in America while he was absent in France during the Revolution. Related: Noticed; noticing.

notification (n.)

late 14c., notificacioun, "a sign, a token;" early 15c., "act of imparting information, promulgation," from Old French notificacion (13c.) and directly from Medieval Latin notificationem (nominative notificatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin notificare "to make known, notify" (see notify).

notify (v.)

late 14c., notifien, "to make (something) known, to tell," from Old French notefiier "make known, inform, apprise" (13c.), from Latin notificare "to make known, notify," from Latin notus "known" (from PIE root *gno- "to know") + combining form of facere "make, do" (from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put"). Meaning "give notice to, inform by words or writing" is from mid-15c. Related: Notified; notifying; notifiable.

notional (adj.)

1590s, "pertaining to or expressing a notion or notions," from notion + -al (earlier nocional, late 14c., from Medieval Latin notionalis). Meaning "full of whims, dealing in imaginary things" is from 1791. Grammatical sense is from 1928 (Jespersen); economics use is from 1958.

notion (n.)

late 14c., nocioun, "a general concept, conception," from Latin notionem (nominative notio) "concept, conception, idea, notice," noun of action from past participle stem of noscere "come to know," from PIE root *gno- "to know." Coined by Cicero as a loan-translation of Greek ennoia "act of thinking, notion, conception," or prolepsis "previous notion, previous conception."

Meaning "an opinion, a view, a somewhat vague belief" is from c. 1600; that of "a not very rational inclination, a whim" is by 1746. Notions in the concrete sense of "miscellaneous small articles of convenience or utensils" (such as sold by Yankee peddlers) is by 1803, American English, via the idea of "clever product of invention."

notochord (n.)

"the primitive backbone," 1848, coined in English by English anatomist Sir Richard Owen from chord (n.2) + Greek nōton "back," which is perhaps from the same PIE source as Latin natis "buttock," which is the source of Italian and Spanish nalga, Old French nache "buttock, butt." Related: Notochordal.

notorious (adj.)

1540s, "publicly known and spoken of," from Medieval Latin notorius "well-known, commonly known," from Latin notus "known," past participle of noscere "come to know," from PIE root *gno- "to know." Middle English had notoire (mid-14c. in Anglo-French), from Old French, "well-known." Negative connotation, now predominant, "noted for some bad practice or quality, notable in a bad sense, widely but discreditably known" arose 17c. from frequent association with derogatory nouns. Related: Notoriously.

notoriety (n.)

"state or character of being unfavorably known," 1590s, from French notoriété or directly from Medieval Latin notorietatem (nominative notorietas), from notorius "well-known," from Latin notus "known," past participle of noscere "come to know," from PIE root *gno- "to know."

notwithstanding (prep.)

a negative present participle used as a quasi-preposition, originally and properly two words, late 14c., notwiþstondynge "in spite of, despite," from not + present participle of the verb withstand. It has the old "against" sense of with. A loan-translation of Medieval Latin non obstante "being no hindrance," literally "not standing in the way," from ablative of obstans, present participle of obstare "stand opposite to" (see obstacle). As an adverb, "nevertheless, however," and as a conjunction, "in spite of the fact that," from early 15c.

nous (n.)

college slang for "intelligence, wit, cleverness, common sense," 1706, from Greek nous, Attic form of noos "mind, intelligence, perception, intellect," which was taken in English in philosophy 1670s as "the perceptive and intelligent faculty." The Greek word is of uncertain origin. Beekes writes, "No doubt an old inherited verbal noun ..., though there is no certain etymology."

nougat (n.)

"sweetmeat made of almonds and other nuts," 1827, from French nougat (18c.), from Provençal nougat "cake made with almonds," from Old Provençal nogat "nutcake," from noga, nuga "nut," from Vulgar Latin *nucatum (nominative *nuca), from Latin nux (genitive nucis) "nut," from PIE *kneu- "nut" (see nucleus).

nought (n., pron.)

Middle English, from Old English nowiht "nothing," variant of nawiht (see naught). Meaning "zero, cipher" is from early 15c. Expression for nought "in vain" is from c. 1200. To come to nought is from early 15c. (become to naught, ycome to naught are from c. 1300).

noumenal (adj.)

"of or pertaining to a noumenon," 1803, from noumenon + -al (1). Related: Noumenally.

noumenon (n.)

"that which can be the object only of a purely intellectual intuition" (opposed to a phenomenon), 1796, a term introduced by Kant, from Greek noumenon "that which is perceived," neuter passive present participle of noein "to apprehend, perceive by the mind" (from noos "mind," which is of uncertain origin). With passive suffix -menos.

noun (n.)

in grammar, "a name; word that denotes a thing (material or immaterial)," late 14c., from Anglo-French noun "name, noun," from Old French nom, non (Modern French nom), from Latin nomen "name, noun" (from PIE root *no-men- "name"). Old English used name to mean "noun." In old use also including adjectives (as noun adjective). Related: Nounal.

nourish (v.)

c. 1300, norishen, "to supply with food and drink, feed; to bring up, nurture, promote the growth or development of" (a child, a young animal, a vice, a feeling, etc.), from Old French norriss-, stem of norrir "raise, bring up, nurture, foster; maintain, provide for" (12c., Modern French nourrir), from Latin nutrire "to feed, nurse, foster, support, preserve," from *nutri (older form of nutrix "nurse"), literally "she who gives suck," from PIE *nu-tri-, suffixed form (with feminine agent suffix) of *(s)nau- "to swim, flow, let flow," hence "to suckle," extended form of root *sna- "to swim." Related: Nourished; nourishing.

nourishment (n.)

early 15c., norishement, "food, sustenance, that which, taken into the system, tends to nourish," from Old French norissement "food, nourishment," from norrir (see nourish). From c. 1300 as "fostering, upbringing; act of nourishing or state of being nourished." Figurative sense of "that which promotes growth or development of any kind" is by 1570s.

nourishing (adj.)

"promoting strength or growth," late 14c., norishing, present-participle adjective from nourish (v.).

nouveau riche (n.)

"one who has recently acquired wealth; a wealthy upstart," 1808 in reference to England; 1803 in reference to France, a French phrase, literally "new rich" (plural nouveaux riches). Opposite noveau pauvre is attested from 1965. Ancient Greek had the same idea in neo-ploutos "newly become rich."

nouvelle (n.)

"short fictitious narrative dealing with a single situation or aspect of a character," 1670s, French nouvelle (11c.), literally "new" (see novel (adj.)). Applied by Henry James to a kind of fiction work longer than a short story and shorter than a novel.

nouvelle cuisine

style of cooking emphasizing freshness and attractive presentation, 1975, French, literally "new cooking."

nova (n.)

"star that suddenly increases in brightness then slowly fades," 1877, from Latin nova, fem. singular adjective of novus "new" (see new), used with stella "star" (a feminine noun in Latin) to describe a new star not previously known (Tycho Brahe's published observation of the nova in Cassiopeia in 1572 was titled De nova stella). Not distinguished from supernovae until 1930s (Tycho's star was a supernova). The classical plural is novae.

Nova Scotia

maritime province of Canada, Latin, literally "New Scotland," part of the former French Acadia, it was so named when a settlement grant was made by James I to William Alexander, Earl of Sterling, in 1621. Related: Nova Scotian.

novation (n.)

"replacement of an old obligation by a new one," 1530s, from Latin novationem (nominative novatio) "a making new, renewal, renovation," noun of action from past-participle stem of novare "make new, renew, make fresh," from novus "new" (see new).

novate (v.)

"to replace by something new," 1610s, from past-participle stem of Latin novare "to make new," from novus "new" (see new).

Novatian (n.)

mid-15c., member of an early Christian sect founded mid-3c. by the theologian Novatianus (c. 200-258). The schism involved readmission of Christians who had denied their faith under the Decian persecution (Novatianus favored strict treatment and non-forgiveness). Related: Novatianism.

novel (n.)

"fictitious prose narrative," 1560s, from Italian novella "short story," originally "new story, news," from Latin novella "new things" (source of French novelle, French nouvelle), neuter plural or fem. of novellus "new, young, recent," diminutive of novus "new" (see new). Originally "one of the tales or short stories in a collection" (especially Boccaccio's), later (1630s) "long prose fiction narrative or tale," a type of work which had before that been called a romance.

The word was used earlier in English in the now-obsolete senses "a novelty, something new," and, in plural, "news, tidings" (mid-15c.), both from Old French novelle.

novelize (v.)

1640s, "to make new, change by introducing novelties," from novel (adj.) + -ize. From 1828 as "to make into a novel" (from novel (n.)). Related: Novelized; novelizing; novelization.

novel (adj.)

"new, strange, unusual, previously unknown," mid-15c., but little used before 1600, from Old French novel, nouvel "new, young, fresh, recent; additional; early, soon" (Modern French nouveau, fem. nouvelle), from Latin novellus "new, young, recent," diminutive of novus "new" (see new).

novelist (n.)

"writer of novels," 1728, hybrid from novel (n.) + -ist. Influenced by Italian novellista. Earlier in English, it meant "an innovator" (1580s); "a novice" (1620s); "a news-carrier" (1706). Related: Novelistic.

novella

"a short novel or long short-story," 1901, from Italian; see novel (n.).

novelty (n.)

late 14c., novelte, "quality of being new," also "a new manner or fashion, an innovation; something new or unusual," from Old French novelete "newness, innovation, change; news, new fashion" (Modern French nouveauté), from novel "new" (see novel (adj.)). Meaning "newness" is attested from late 14c.; sense of "useless but decorative or amusing object" is attested by 1888 (as in novelty shop, by 1893). An earlier word was novelry (c. 1300).

November

c. 1200, from Old French novembre and directly from Latin November (also Novembris (mensis)), from novem "nine" (see nine). The ninth month of the Roman calendar, which began in March. For -ber see December. In Old English, it was Blotmonað "month of sacrifice," literally "blood-month," the time when the early Saxons prepared for winter by sacrificing animals, which they then butchered and stored for food.

novena (n.)

in Catholicism, "devotions consisting of special prayers or services on nine successive days," 1745, from Medieval Latin novena, fem. of Latin novenus "ninefold," from novem "nine" (see nine).

novenary (n.)

1570s, "an aggregate of nine," from Latin novenarius (adj.) "consisting of nine," from novem "nine" (see nine). As an adjective, "pertaining to the number nine or consisting of nine," c. 1600.

novennial (adj.)

"done or recurring every ninth year," 1650s, from Latin novennialis, from novennis "of nine years," from novem "nine" (see nine) + annus "year" (see annual (adj.)).

novercal (adj.)

"characteristic of or resembling a step-mother," 1620s, from Late Latin novercalis, "of or like a step-mother," also "hostile, violent," from noverca, literally "a new mother," from novus "new" (see new).

Novial (n.)

artificial language created by Jespersen, 1928, from stem of Latin novus "new" (see new), with second element standing for International Auxiliary Language.

novice (n.)

mid-14c., "probationer in a religious order," from Old French novice "beginner" (12c.), from Medieval Latin novicius, noun use of Latin novicius "newly imported, newly arrived, inexperienced" (of slaves), from novus "new" (see new). Meaning "inexperienced person, one new to his circumstances" is attested from early 15c. As an adjective, "having the character of a beginner; befitting a novice," from 1520s.

novitiate (n.)

also noviciate, c. 1600, "state of being a novice," from French noviciat or directly from Medieval Latin novitiatus, from Late Latin novitius "novice," from Latin adjective novicius "newly arrived, inexperienced" (see novice). Meaning "quarters in a convent occupied by novices" is from 1620s.

novocain (n.)

also novocaine, 1905, originally a trademark name for procaine (by Lucius & Brüning, Hoechst am Main, Germany), from combining form of Latin novus "new" (see new) + -caine, abstracted from cocaine. As a local anaesthetic, it began as a substitute for cocaine.

Novus Ordo Seclorum

on the Great Seal of the United States of America, apparently an allusion to line 5 of Virgil's "Eclogue IV," in an 18c. edition: Magnus ab integro seclorum nascitur ordo "The great series of ages begins anew." The seal's designer, Charles Thomson, wrote that the words "signify the beginnings of the New American Era." (see Annuit Coeptis).

now (adv.)

Middle English nou, from Old English nu "at the present time, at this moment, immediately; now that," also used as an interjection and as an introductory word; from Proto-Germanic *nu (source also of Old Norse nu, Dutch nu, Old Frisian nu, German nun, Gothic nu "now"), from PIE *nu "now" (source also of Sanskrit and Avestan nu, Old Persian nuram, Hittite nuwa, Greek nu, nun, Latin nunc, Old Church Slavonic nyne, Lithuanian nū, Old Irish nu-). Perhaps originally "newly, recently," and related to the root of new.

Since Old English often merely emphatic, without a temporal sense (as in now then, which is attested from early 13c.). As a noun, "the present time," from late 14c. The adjective meaning "up to date" was revived by 1967, but the word was used also as an adjective with the sense of "current" from late 14c. through 18c. Now and then "occasionally, at one time and another" is from mid-15c.; now or never attested from early 13c. (nu oþer neure).

nowadays (adv.)

"in these times, at the present," late 14c., contracted from Middle English nou adayes (mid-14c.), from now + adayes "during the day" (see adays).

nowhere (adv.)

"not in any situation or state; in no place," Old English nahwær "nowhere, not at all;" see no + where. Colloquial nowheres, with adverbial genitive, is by 1803.

As a noun, "non-existent place," 1831; "remote or inaccessible place," 1908. Hence such phrases as middle of nowhere (by 1848, seemingly originally a place you knocked someone or something into; see below), road to nowhere (by 1800 as "a way that is not a thoroughfare, a road leading to no destination;" the figurative use, "a program, course of action, etc. deemed likely to lead to no useful result," is by 1891).

Similar constructions were attempted with nowhat ("not at all," 1650s) and nowhen ("at no time, never," 1764), but they failed to take hold and remain nonce words. Middle English also had an adverb never-where (early 14c.).

nowhither (adv.)

"toward no place, in no direction," Middle English no whither, no-whider, from Old English nahwiðer, nahwider; see no + whither.

no-win (adj.)

1962, in reference to a situation where victory is impossible, from no + win. Apparently popularized in connection with the Vietnam War.

no-wise (adv.)

"in no way, by no means," c. 1400, from no + wise (n.).

noxious (adj.)

"unwholesome, harmful," c. 1500, noxius, from Latin noxius "hurtful, injurious," from noxa "injury, hurt, damage entailing liability" (related to nocere "to hurt," and to nex "slaughter"), from PIE *noks-, from root *nek- (1) "death." Related: Noxiously; noxiousness.

nozzle (n.)

mid-15c., noselle "socket on a candlestick," diminutive of nose (n.); with -el (3). Meaning "small spout" is attested by 1680s.

nth

by 1717, in algebra textbooks, in phrase to the nth, a mathematical term indicating an indefinite number, in which n is an abbreviation for (whole) number (n.). Figurative (non-mathematical) use is by 1852.

nuance (n.)

"slight or delicate degree of difference in expression, feeling, opinion, etc.," 1781, from French nuance "slight difference, shade of color" (17c.), from nuer "to shade," from nue "cloud," from Gallo-Roman *nuba, from Latin nubes "a cloud, mist, vapor," from PIE *sneudh- "fog" (source also of Avestan snaoda "clouds," Latin obnubere "to veil," Welsh nudd "fog," Greek nython, in Hesychius "dark, dusky").

According to Klein, the French secondary sense is a reference to "the different colors of the clouds." In reference to color or tone, "a slight variation in shade," by 1852; of music, by 1841 as a French term in English.

nuance (v.)

"to give nuances to," 1886, from nuance (n.). Related: Nuanced.

nuanced (adj.)

"having or showing delicate gradations in tone, etc.," 1896, past-participle adjective from the verb nuance (q.v.).

nub (n.)

"knob, lump, bump, protuberance," 1590s, variant of dialectal knub, which is probably a variant of knob. Figurative meaning "point, gist" is attested by 1834.

nubby (adj.)

"full of entanglements or imperfections," 1864, from nub + -y (2). Nubbly, "having numerous knobs or lumps," is from 1814.

nubbin (n.)

"stunted ear of corn," 1690s, American English colloquial diminutive of nub. General sense of "small piece" is from 1857.

Nubia

region of Africa bordering the Red Sea south of Egypt, ultimately from a local word, said to be related to Coptic noubti "to weave," or from Nubian nub "gold." In the fashion sense "woman's light scarf" it is from French, from Latin nubes "cloud" (see nuance).

Nubian (adj.)

"pertaining to or belonging to Nubia," c. 1730, from Medieval Latin Nubianus, from Nubia (see Nubia). As an adjective, c. 1400 in reference to an Eastern sect; 1788 as "a Nubian slave" in Egypt; 1790 as a type of horse; 1899 as a type of black dress material.

nubile (adj.)

1640s, "marriageable, of age and condition suitable for marriage" (said of a woman), from French nubile (16c.) or directly from Latin nubilis "marriageable," from stem of nubere "take as husband," (see nuptial). Sense of "young and sexually attractive" (of women) is by 1973. Related: Nubility.

nuchal (adj.)

"pertaining to the nape of the neck or spinal cord," 1835, medical Latin, from nucha "spinal cord" (c. 1400), from Medieval Latin nucha, from Arabic nukha "spinal marrow."

nuclear (adj.)

1841, "of or like the nucleus of a cell," from nucleus + -ar, probably by influence of French nucléaire. General sense of "central" is from 1912. In atomic physics, "of or belonging to the nucleus of an atom," from 1914; of weapons deriving their destructive power from nuclear reactions, by 1945.

Hence nuclear energy (1930), nuclear physics (1933), nuclear weapon (1947), nuclear war (1950; once in 1946 in reference to hypothetical attacks with nuclear rays). Nuclear winter was coined by U.S. atmospheric scientist Richard Turco but is first attested in article by Carl Sagan in "Parade" magazine, Oct. 30, 1983. Nuclear family, originally a sociologists' term, is first attested 1949 in "Social Structure," by American anthropologist G.P. Murdock (1897-1985).

The alternative adjective nucleal is recorded from 1840, probably from French. Also compare nucleic.

nucleation (n.)

"formation of nuclei," by 1855, noun of action from nucleate (v.) "to form into or bring together as a nucleus" (1839), from Latin nucleatus, past participle of nucleare, from nucleus (see nucleus).

nucleic (adj.)

"referring to a nucleus," 1892, in nucleic acid, which is a translation of German Nukleinsäure (1889), from Nuklein "substance obtained from a cell nucleus" (see nucleus + -in (2)) + -ic.

nucleolus (n.)

"a small nucleus; the nucleus of a nucleus," 1839, from Latin nucleolus, literally "a little nut," diminutive of nucleus (see nucleus). Related: Nucleolar.

nucleotide (n.)

type of chemical compound forming the basic structural unit of a nucleic acid, 1908, from German nucleotid (1907), from nucleo-, modern combining form of Latin nucleus (see nucleus) + -ide, with -t- for the sake of euphony.

nucleus (n.)

1704, "kernel of a nut;" 1708, "head of a comet;" from Latin nucleus "kernel," from nucula "little nut," diminutive of nux (genitive nucis) "nut," from PIE *kneu- "nut" (source also of Middle Irish cnu, Welsh cneuen, Middle Breton knoen "nut," Old Norse hnot, Old English hnutu "nut").

The general sense of "central mass or thing, about which others cluster or matter collects," is from 1762. In biology, "dense, typically rounded structure in a cell, bounded by membranes," from 1831. Later they were found to contain the genetic material. Modern meaning in physics, "positively charged central core of an atom," is from 1912, by Ernest Rutherford, though theoretical use for "central point of an atom" is from 1844, in Faraday.