5 letter word starting with n

Words Parts of Speech Meaning/Definition/Similar Words
niere noun One who gathers rags and odds and ends; a ragpicker., A receptacle for rags or shreds., A movable and ornamental closet or piece of furniture with shelves or drawers.
neyne noun Same as Meine.
nabit noun Pulverized sugar candy.
nabob noun A deputy or viceroy in India; a governor of a province of the ancient Mogul empire., One who returns to Europe from the East with immense riches: hence, any man of great wealth.
nacre noun A pearly substance which lines the interior of many shells, and is most perfect in the mother-of-pearl. [Written also nacker and naker.] See Pearl, and Mother-of-pearl.
nadde Had not.
nadir noun That point of the heavens, or lower hemisphere, directly opposite the zenith; the inferior pole of the horizon; the point of the celestial sphere directly under the place where we stand., The lowest point; the time of greatest depression.
naeve noun A naevus.
naevi plural of Navus
navus noun A spot or mark on the skin of children when born; a birthmark; — usually applied to vascular tumors, i. e., those consisting mainly of blood vessels, as dilated arteries, veins, or capillaries.
naggy adjective Irritable; touchy.
nagor noun A West African gazelle (Gazella redunca).
naiad noun A water nymph; one of the lower female divinities, fabled to preside over some body of fresh water, as a lake, river, brook, or fountain., Any species of a tribe (Naiades) of freshwater bivalves, including Unio, Anodonta, and numerous allied genera; a river mussel., One of a group of butterflies. See Nymph., Any plant of the order Naiadaceae, such as eelgrass, pondweed, etc.
naive adjective Having native or unaffected simplicity; ingenuous; artless; frank; as, naive manners; a naive person; naive and unsophisticated remarks.
naked adjective Having no clothes on; uncovered; nude; bare; as, a naked body; a naked limb; a naked sword., Having no means of defense or protection; open; unarmed; defenseless., Unprovided with needful or desirable accessories, means of sustenance, etc.; destitute; unaided; bare., Without addition, exaggeration, or excuses; not concealed or disguised; open to view; manifest; plain., Mere; simple; plain., Without pubescence; as, a naked leaf or stem; bare, or not covered by the customary parts, as a flower without a perianth, a stem without leaves, seeds without a pericarp, buds without bud scales., Not having the full complement of tones; — said of a chord of only two tones, which requires a third tone to be sounded with them to make the combination pleasing to the ear; as, a naked fourth or fifth.
naker noun Same as Nacre., A kind of kettledrum.
nakoo noun The gavial.
named imp. & past participle of Name
namer noun One who names, or calls by name.
nandu noun Any one of three species of South American ostriches of the genera Rhea and Pterocnemia. See Rhea.
nanny noun A diminutive of Ann or Anne, the proper name.
nappe noun Sheet; surface; all that portion of a surface that is continuous in such a way that it is possible to pass from any one point of the portion to any other point of the portion without leaving the surface. Thus, some hyperboloids have one nappe, and some have two.
nappy adjective Inclined to sleep; sleepy; as, to feel nappy., Tending to cause sleepiness; serving to make sleepy; strong; heady; as, nappy ale., Having a nap or pile; downy; shaggy., A round earthen dish, with a flat bottom and sloping sides.
napus noun A kind of turnip. See Navew.
nares noun pl. The nostrils or nasal openings, — the anterior nares being the external or proper nostrils, and the posterior nares, the openings of the nasal cavities into the mouth or pharynx.
narre adjective Nearer.
narwe adjective Narrow.
nasal adjective Of or pertaining to the nose., Having a quality imparted by means of the nose; and specifically, made by lowering the soft palate, in some cases with closure of the oral passage, the voice thus issuing (wholly or partially) through the nose, as in the consonants m, n, ng (see Guide to Pronunciation, // 20, 208); characterized by resonance in the nasal passage; as, a nasal vowel; a nasal utterance., An elementary sound which is uttered through the nose, or through both the nose and the mouth simultaneously., A medicine that operates through the nose; an errhine., Part of a helmet projecting to protect the nose; a nose guard., One of the nasal bones., A plate, or scale, on the nose of a fish, etc.
naso- A combining form denoting pertaining to, or connected with, the nose; as, nasofrontal.
nassa noun Any species of marine gastropods, of the genera Nassa, Tritia, and other allied genera of the family Nassidae; a dog whelk. See Illust. under Gastropoda.
nasty superl. Offensively filthy; very dirty, foul, or defiled; disgusting; nauseous., Hence, loosely: Offensive; disagreeable; unpropitious; wet; drizzling; as, a nasty rain, day, sky., Characterized by obcenity; indecent; indelicate; gross; filthy.
natal adjective Of or pertaining to one’s birth; accompying or dating from one’s birth; native., Presiding over nativity; as, natal Jove.
natch noun The rump of beef; esp., the lower and back part of the rump.
nates noun pl. The buttocks., The two anterior of the four lobes on the dorsal side of the midbrain of most mammals; the anterior optic lobes., The umbones of a bivalve shell.
natka adjective A species of shrike.
natty adjective Neat; tidy; spruce.
naval adjective Having to do with shipping; of or pertaining to ships or a navy; consisting of ships; as, naval forces, successes, stores, etc.
navel noun A mark or depression in the middle of the abdomen; the umbilicus. See Umbilicus., The central part or point of anything; the middle., An eye on the under side of a carronade for securing it to a carriage.
navew noun A kind of small turnip, a variety of Brassica campestris. See Brassica.
navvy noun Originally, a laborer on canals for internal navigation; hence, a laborer on other public works, as in building railroads, embankments, etc.
nawab noun A deputy ruler or viceroy in India; also, a title given by courtesy to other persons of high rank in the East.
neddy noun A pet name for a donkey.
needs adverb Of necessity; necessarily; indispensably; — often with must, and equivalent to of need.
needy superl. Distressed by want of the means of living; very por; indigent; necessitous., Necessary; requiste.
neeld noun Alt. of Neele
neele noun A needle.
ne’er adverb a contraction of Never.
neese verb i. To sneeze.
negro noun A black man; especially, one of a race of black or very dark persons who inhabit the greater part of tropical Africa, and are distinguished by crisped or curly hair, flat noses, and thick protruding lips; also, any black person of unmixed African blood, wherever found., Of or pertaining to negroes; black.
negus noun A beverage made of wine, water, sugar, nutmeg, and lemon juice; — so called, it is said, from its first maker, Colonel Negus.
neife noun A woman born in the state of villeinage; a female serf.
neigh verb i. To utter the cry of the horse; to whinny., To scoff or sneer; to jeer., The cry of a horse; a whinny.
nempt past participle Called; named.
nenia noun A funeral song; an elegy.
nerre adverb & adjective Nearer.
nerve noun One of the whitish and elastic bundles of fibers, with the accompanying tissues, which transmit nervous impulses between nerve centers and various parts of the animal body., A sinew or a tendon., Physical force or steadiness; muscular power and control; constitutional vigor., Steadiness and firmness of mind; self-command in personal danger, or under suffering; unshaken courage and endurance; coolness; pluck; resolution., Audacity; assurance., One of the principal fibrovascular bundles or ribs of a leaf, especially when these extend straight from the base or the midrib of the leaf., One of the nervures, or veins, in the wings of insects., To give strength or vigor to; to supply with force; as, fear nerved his arm.
nervy superl. – Strong; sinewy.
netty adjective Like a net, or network; netted.
neura plural of Neuron
neven verb t. To name; to mention; to utter.
never adverb Not ever; not at any time; at no time, whether past, present, or future., In no degree; not in the least; not.
nevew noun Nephew.
newel noun A novelty; a new thing., The upright post about which the steps of a circular staircase wind; hence, in stairs having straight flights, the principal post at the foot of a staircase, or the secondary ones at the landings. See Hollow newel, under Hollow.
newly adverb Lately; recently., Anew; afresh; freshly.
newsy adjective Full of news; abounding in information as to current events.
nexus noun Connection; tie.
ngina noun The gorilla.
niche noun A cavity, hollow, or recess, generally within the thickness of a wall, for a statue, bust, or other erect ornament. hence, any similar position, literal or figurative.
nidor noun Scent or savor of meat or food, cooked or cooking.
nidus noun A nest: a repository for the eggs of birds, insects, etc.; a breeding place; esp., the place or substance where parasites or the germs of a disease effect lodgment or are developed.
niece noun A relative, in general; especially, a descendant, whether male or female; a granddaughter or a grandson., A daughter of one’s brother or sister, or of one’s brother-in-law or sister-in-law.
nifle noun A trifle.
night noun That part of the natural day when the sun is beneath the horizon, or the time from sunset to sunrise; esp., the time between dusk and dawn, when there is no light of the sun, but only moonlight, starlight, or artificial light., Darkness; obscurity; concealment., Intellectual and moral darkness; ignorance., A state of affliction; adversity; as, a dreary night of sorrow., The period after the close of life; death., A lifeless or unenlivened period, as when nature seems to sleep.
nigua noun The chigoe.
nihil noun Nothing.
nomen past participle of Nim, p. p. of Nim.
nimbi plural of Nimbus
ninny noun A fool; a simpleton.
ninth adjective Following the eight and preceding the tenth; coming after eight others., Constituting or being one of nine equal parts into which anything is divided., The quotient of one divided by nine; one of nine equal parts of a thing; the next after the eighth., An interval containing an octave and a second., A chord of the dominant seventh with the ninth added.
ninut noun The magpie.
niobe noun The daughter of Tantalus, and wife of Amphion, king of Thebes. Her pride in her children provoked Apollo and Diana, who slew them all. Niobe herself was changed by the gods into stone.
niopo noun A kind of snuff prepared by the natives of Venezuela from the roasted seeds of a leguminous tree (Piptadenia peregrina), thence called niopo tree.
nisan noun The first month of the jewish ecclesiastical year, formerly answering nearly to the month of April, now to March, of the Christian calendar. See Abib.
nisey noun A simpleton.
niste Wist not; knew not.
nisus noun A striving; an effort; a conatus.
niter noun Alt. of Nitre
nitre noun A white crystalline semitransparent salt; potassium nitrate; saltpeter. See Saltpeter., Native sodium carbonate; natron., See Niter.
nitid adjective Bright; lustrous; shining., Gay; spruce; fine; — said of persons.
nitry adjective Nitrous.
nitty adjective Full of nits., Shining; elegant; spruce.
nival adjective Abounding with snow; snowy.
nixie noun See Nix.
nizam noun The title of the native sovereigns of Hyderabad, in India, since 1719.
nobby adjective Stylish; modish; elegant; showy; aristocratic; fashionable.
noble superl. Possessing eminence, elevation, dignity, etc.; above whatever is low, mean, degrading, or dishonorable; magnanimous; as, a noble nature or action; a noble heart., Grand; stately; magnificent; splendid; as, a noble edifice., Of exalted rank; of or pertaining to the nobility; distinguished from the masses by birth, station, or title; highborn; as, noble blood; a noble personage., A person of rank above a commoner; a nobleman; a peer., An English money of account, and, formerly, a gold coin, of the value of 6 s. 8 d. sterling, or about $1.61., A European fish; the lyrie., To make noble; to ennoble.
nobly adverb Of noble extraction; as, nobly born or descended., In a noble manner; with greatness of soul; heroically; with magnanimity; as, a deed nobly done., Splendidly; magnificently.
nodal adjective Of the nature of, or relating to, a node; as, a nodal point.
noddy noun A simpleton; a fool., Any tern of the genus Anous, as A. stolidus., The arctic fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis). Sometimes also applied to other sea birds., An old game at cards., A small two-wheeled one-horse vehicle., An inverted pendulum consisting of a short vertical flat spring which supports a rod having a bob at the top; — used for detecting and measuring slight horizontal vibrations of a body to which it is attached.
noght adverb Not.
noier noun An annoyer.
noils noun pl. Waste and knots of wool removed by the comb; combings.
noint verb t. To anoint.
noise noun Sound of any kind., Especially, loud, confused, or senseless sound; clamor; din., Loud or continuous talk; general talk or discussion; rumor; report., Music, in general; a concert; also, a company of musicians; a band., To sound; to make a noise., To spread by rumor or report., To disturb with noise.
noisy superl. Making a noise, esp. a loud sound; clamorous; vociferous; turbulent; boisterous; as, the noisy crowd., Full of noise.
nolde Would not.
nomad noun One of a race or tribe that has no fixed location, but wanders from place to place in search of pasture or game., Roving; nomadic.
nomic adjective Customary; ordinary; — applied to the usual English spelling, in distinction from strictly phonetic methods., Nomic spelling.
nonce noun The one or single occasion; the present call or purpose; — chiefly used in the phrase for the nonce.
nonda noun The edible plumlike fruit of the Australian tree, Parinarium Nonda.
nondo noun A coarse umbelliferous plant (Ligusticum actaeifolium) with a large aromatic root. It is found chiefly in the Alleghany region. Also called Angelico.
nones noun pl. The fifth day of the months January, February, April, June, August, September, November, and December, and the seventh day of March, May, July, and October. The nones were nine days before the ides, reckoning inclusively, according to the Roman method., The canonical office, being a part of the Breviary, recited at noon (formerly at the ninth hour, 3 P. M.) in the Roman Catholic Church., The hour of dinner; the noonday meal.
nonet noun Alt. of Nonetto
nonne noun A nun.
nonny noun A silly fellow; a ninny.
nonyl noun The hydrocarbon radical, C9H19, derived from nonane and forming many compounds. Used also adjectively; as, nonyl alcohol.
noose noun A running knot, or loop, which binds the closer the more it is drawn., To tie in a noose; to catch in a noose; to entrap; to insnare.
nopal noun A cactaceous plant (Nopalea cochinellifera), originally Mexican, on which the cochineal insect feeds, and from which it is collected. The name is sometimes given to other species of Cactaceae.
noria noun A large water wheel, turned by the action of a stream against its floats, and carrying at its circumference buckets, by which water is raised and discharged into a trough; used in Arabia, China, and elsewhere for irrigating land; a Persian wheel.
norie noun The cormorant.
norma noun A norm; a principle or rule; a model; a standard., A mason’s or a carpenter’s square or rule., A templet or gauge.
norna noun One of the three Fates, Past, Present, and Future. Their names were Urd, Verdandi, and Skuld., A tutelary deity; a genius.
norse adjective Of or pertaining to ancient Scandinavia, or to the language spoken by its inhabitants., The Norse language.
north noun That one of the four cardinal points of the compass, at any place, which lies in the direction of the true meridian, and to the left hand of a person facing the east; the direction opposite to the south., Any country or region situated farther to the north than another; the northern section of a country., Specifically: That part of the United States lying north of Mason and Dixon’s line. See under Line., Lying toward the north; situated at the north, or in a northern direction from the point of observation or reckoning; proceeding toward the north, or coming from the north., To turn or move toward the north; to veer from the east or west toward the north., Northward.
nosed imp. & past participle of Nose, Having a nose, or such a nose; — chieflay used in composition; as, pug-nosed.
nosel verb t. To nurse; to lead or teach; to foster; to nuzzle.
nosle noun Nozzle.
notal adjective Of or pertaining to the back; dorsal.
notch noun A hollow cut in anything; a nick; an indentation., A narrow passage between two elevation; a deep, close pass; a defile; as, the notch of a mountain., To cut or make notches in ; to indent; also, to score by notches; as, to notch a stick., To fit the notch of (an arrow) to the string.
noted imp. & past participle of Note, Well known by reputation or report; eminent; celebrated; as, a noted author, or traveler.
noter noun One who takes notice., An annotator.
notum noun The back.
notus noun The south wind.
nouch noun An ouch; a jewel.
nould Would not.
noule noun The top of the head; the head or noll.
novel adjective Of recent origin or introduction; not ancient; new; hence, out of the ordinary course; unusual; strange; surprising., That which is new or unusual; a novelty., News; fresh tidings., A fictitious tale or narrative, professing to be conformed to real life; esp., one intended to exhibit the operation of the passions, and particularly of love., A new or supplemental constitution. See the Note under Novel, a.
novum noun A game at dice, properly called novem quinque (L., nine five), the two principal throws being nine and five.
noway adverb Alt. of Noways
nowch noun See Nouch.
nowed adjective Knotted; tied in a knot, as a serpent.
nowel noun Christmas; also, a shout of joy at Christmas for the birth of the Savior., A kind of hymn, or canticle, of mediaeval origin, sung in honor of the Nativity of our Lord; a Christmas carol., The core, or the inner part, of a mold for casting a large hollow object., The bottom part of a mold or of a flask, in distinction from the cope; the drag.
nowes noun pl. The marriage knot.
noyau noun A cordial of brandy, etc., flavored with the kernel of the bitter almond, or of the peach stone, etc.
noyer noun An annoyer.
noyls noun pl. See Noils.
nozle noun Nozzle.
nubia noun A light fabric of wool, worn on the head by women; a cloud.
nuch/ plural of Nucha
nucha noun The back or upper part of the neck; the nape.
nucin noun See Juglone.
nucle noun Same as Nutlet.
nudge verb t. To touch gently, as with the elbow, in order to call attention or convey intimation., A gentle push, or jog, as with the elbow.
nugae noun pl. Trifles; jests.
numps noun A dolt; a blockhead.
nurse noun One who nourishes; a person who supplies food, tends, or brings up; as: (a) A woman who has the care of young children; especially, one who suckles an infant not her own. (b) A person, especially a woman, who has the care of the sick or infirm., One who, or that which, brings up, rears, causes to grow, trains, fosters, or the like., A lieutenant or first officer, who is the real commander when the captain is unfit for his place., A peculiar larva of certain trematodes which produces cercariae by asexual reproduction. See Cercaria, and Redia., Either one of the nurse sharks., To nourish; to cherish; to foster, To nourish at the breast; to suckle; to feed and tend, as an infant., To take care of or tend, as a sick person or an invalid; to attend upon., To bring up; to raise, by care, from a weak or invalid condition; to foster; to cherish; — applied to plants, animals, and to any object that needs, or thrives by, attention., To manage with care and economy, with a view to increase; as, to nurse our national resources., To caress; to fondle, as a nurse does.
nutty adjective Abounding in nuts., Having a flavor like that of nuts; as, nutty wine.
nymph noun A goddess of the mountains, forests, meadows, or waters., A lovely young girl; a maiden; a damsel., The pupa of an insect; a chrysalis., Any one of a subfamily (Najades) of butterflies including the purples, the fritillaries, the peacock butterfly, etc.; — called also naiad.
nyula noun A species of ichneumon (Herpestes nyula). Its fur is beautifully variegated by closely set zigzag markings.