英語詞源字典N

/-nesssuffixofaction,qualityorstate,attachedtoanadj.orpp.toformanoun,fromO.E.-nes(s),generalW.Gmc.,cf.M.Du.-nisse,O.H.G.-nissa,Ger.-nis,Goth.-inassus.-nikasinbeatnik,etc.,suffixusedinwordformationfromc.1945,fromYiddish-nik(cf.nudnik"abore"),fromRus.-nik,commonpersonalsuffixmeaning"personorthingassociatedwithorinvolvedin"(cf.kolkhoznik"memberofakolkhoz").Rocketedtopopularitywithsputnik(q.v.).Ninnickname,newt,andBrit.dial.naunt,the-n-belongstoaprecedingindefinitearticleanorpossessivepronounmine.OtherexamplesofthisfromM.E.manuscriptsincludeaneilond("anisland,"c.1220),anarawe("anarrow,"c.1400),anoke("anoak,"c.1420),anappyle("anapple,"c.1420).Theprocessalsoworkedinsurnames,fromobliquecasesofO.E.at"by,near,"e.g.Nock/Nokes/NoaksfromattenOke"bytheoak;"Nyefromattenye"nearthelowland."Thelossofittoaprecedingaismorecommon:apron,auger,adder,umpire,humblepie,etc.Themathematicaluseofnfor"anindefinitenumber"isfirstrecorded1852,intothenthpower.N.B.1673,L.abbreviationofnotabene"notewell."n.g.abbreviationofnogood,attestedfrom1838;variantn.b.g.fornobloodygoodisfirstrecorded1903.NAACPabbreviationofNationalAssociationfortheAdvancementofColoredPeople,firstattested1910.OrganizationfoundedFeb.12,1909,asNationalNegroCommittee.Npername,biblicalnameofArameangeneralcuredofleprosybyElisha,fromHeb.Na'aman,lit."pleasantness,"fromstemofna'em"waspleasantorlovely."nab(v.)"tocatch(someone),1686,probablyavariantofdial.nap"toseize,catch,layholdof"(1673,nowsurvivingonlyinkidnap),whichispossiblyfromScand.(cf.Norw.nappe"tocatch,snatch;"Swed.nappa;Dan.nappe"topinch,pull"),reinforcedbyM.E.napand"grasping,greedy."nabob1612,"deputygovernorinMogulEmpire,"Anglo-Indian,fromHindinabab,fromArabicnuwwab,honorificpl.ofna'ib"viceroy,deputy,"frombasen-w-b"totakesomeone'splace."AlsousedofEuropeanswhocamehomefromIndiahavingmadeafortunethere,hence"veryrichman"(1764).nachoaccordingto"TheDallasMorningNews"[Oct.22,1995],namedforrestaurantcookIgnacioAnaya,whoinventedthedishintheMexicanbordertownofPiedrasNegrasin1943.nacre(n.)1598,"typeofshellfishthatyieldsmother-of-pearl,"fromM.Fr.,fromIt.naccaro(nownacchera),possiblyult.fromArabicnakara"tohollowout,"inref.totheshapeofthemolluskshell.Meaning"mother-of-pearl"isfrom1718.nadaslang,"nothing,"1933,introducedbyHemingway,fromSp.,"nothing,"fromL.(res)nata"small,insignificantthing,"lit."(thing)born."nadirc.1391,inastronomicalsense,fromM.L.nadir,fromArabicnazir"oppositeto,"innaziras-samt,lit."oppositeofthezenith,"fromnazir"opposite"+as-samt"zenith"(seezenith).Transf.senseof"lowestpoint(ofanything)"isfirstrecorded1793.nag(v.)"annoybyscolding,"1828,originallyadialectalword,probablyultimatelyfromaScand.source(cf.O.N.gnaga"tocomplain,"lit."tobite,gnaw,"dial.Swed.andNorw.nagga"tognaw")relatedtoO.E.gnagan"tognaw"(seegnaw).nag(n.)"oldhorse,"c.1400,nagge"smallridinghorse,"ofunknownorigin,perhapsrelatedtoDu.negge,neg(butthesearemorerecentthantheEng.word).Termofabuseisatransferredsense,firstrecorded1598.naiad"waternymph,"1610,fromL.naias(gen.naiadis),fromGk.Naias(pl.Naiades)"rivernymph,"fromnaiein"toflow,"fromPIE*sna-(cf.L.nare"toswim,"Skt.snauti"drips;"seenatatorium).naif(adj.)1598,fromFr.na?f,lit."naive"(seenaive).Asanoun,firstattested1893.nailO.E.negel"metalpin,"n?gl"fingernail(O.E.handn?gl),toenail,"fromP.Gmc.*naglaz(cf.O.H.G.nagel,O.Fris.neil,M.Du.naghel,Ger.Nagel"fingernail,smallmetalspike"),fromPIEbase*(o)nogh"nail"(cf.Gk.onyx,L.unguis"nail,claw,"O.C.S.noga"foot,"Lith.naga"hoof,"O.C.S.noguti"nail,claw,"Lith.nagutis"fingernail,"O.Ir.ingen,O.Welsheguin"nail,claw").The"fingernail"senseseemstobetheoriginalone.TheverbisO.E.n?glian,fromP.Gmc.*ganaglijanan.Meaning"tocatch,seize"isfirstrecorded1766.Tobiteone'snailsasasignofanxietyisattestedfrom1577.Tohitthenailonthehead"sayordojusttherightthing"isfirstrecorded1529.naive1654,fromFr.na?ve,fem.ofna?f,fromO.Fr.naif"naive,natural,justborn,"fromL.nativus"notartificial,"also"native,rustic,"lit."born,innate,natural"(seenative).Naivetéis1673,fromFr.na?veté,fromO.Fr.naiveté"nativedisposition."Anglicizedformnaivetyisattestedfrom1708.nakedO.E.nacod"nude,"also"notfullyclothed,"fromP.Gmc.*nakwathaz(cf.O.Fris.nakad,M.Du.naket,Du.naakt,Ger.nackt,O.N.n?kkvier,O.Swed.nakuter,Goth.naqats"naked"),fromPIEbase*neogw-"naked"(cf.Skt.nagna,Hittitenekumant-,L.nudus,Lith.nuogas,O.C.S.nagu-,O.Ir.nocht,Welshnoeth).Appliedtoqualities,actions,etc.,from16c.(originallyinnakedtruth,1585).Phrasenakedasajaybird(1943)wasearliernakedasarobin(1879,inaShropshirecontext);theearliestcomparativewasnakedasaneedle(1377).NamcolloquialshorteningofVietnam,1969,originallyamongU.S.troopssentthere.namaste"salutatorygesture,"1948,fromHindi,fromSkt.namas"bowing"+te,dat.oftuam"you"(sing.).Usedasawordofgreetingfrom1967.namby-pamby1726,satiricnicknameofEng.poetAmbrosePhilips(1674-1749)mockinghissentimentalpastoralsaddressedtoinfantmembersofthenobility.UsedfirstinafarcecreditedtoCarey;ingeneralsenseof"weaklysentimental,insipidlypretty"O.E.nama,fromP.Gmc.*namon(cf.O.Fris.nama,O.H.G.namo,Ger.Name,Du.naam,O.N.nafn,Goth.namo"name"),fromPIE*nomn-(cf.Skt.nama,Avestannama,Gk.onoma,onyma,L.nomen,O.C.S.ime,gen.imene,Rus.imya,O.Ir.ainm,O.Welshanu).Meaning"one'sreputation"isfromc.1300.Asamodifiermeaning"well-known,"firstattested1938.TheverbisfromO.E.namian.Firstrecordofnamely"particularly,especially"isfromc.1175.Name-callingisfrom1853;name-dropperfirstrecorded1947.Thenameofthegame"theessentialthingorquality"isfrom1966;tohaveone'snameinlights"beafamousperformer"sake1646,"personnamedforthesakeofsomeone"isprobablyoriginally(forthe)name'ssake.nanachild'swordfor"grandmother"or,sometimes,"nurse"isfirstrecordedc.1844(seenanny).nance"effeminateman,homosexual,"1904,fromfemalenameNancy(q.v.),whichwasinuseasanadj.meaning"effeminate"(appliedtomen)from1883,ashorteningofearlierMissNancy,perhapsfromthenicknameofvain,fashionableactressMissAnnaOldfield(d.1730).Npername,probablyapetformofAncy,dim.ofM.E.Annis"Agnes."nankeen"kindofcottoncloth,"1755,fromNanking,China,whereitoriginallywasmade.Thecitynameislit."southerncapital."nanny"children'snurse,"1795,fromwidespreadchild'swordfor"femaleadultotherthanmother"(cf.Gk.nanna"aunt").TpernameAnne,whichprobablyisthesenseinnannygoat(1788,cf.billygoat).Theverbmeaning"tobeundulyprotective"isfrom1954.Nanny-house"brothel"isslangfromc.1700.nanosecond1959,coinedfromGk.nanos"dwarf"+second(n.),q.v.NantucketearlyformsincludeNatocke,Nantican,Nautican;fromanobscuresouthernNewEnglandAlgonquianword,perhapsmeaning"inthemiddleofwaters."Npername,biblicalmother-in-lawofRuth,fromHeb.Na'omi,lit."mydelight,"fromno'am"pleasantness,delightfulness,"fromstemofna'em"waspleasant,waslovely."nap(n.)"downysurfaceofcloth,"1440,fromM.Du.orM.L.G.noppe"nap,tuftofwool,"probablyintroducedbyFlem.cloth-workers.CognatewithO.E.hnappian"topluck,"ahneopan"pluckoff,"O.Swed.niupa"topinch,"Goth.dis-hniupan"totear."nap(v.)O.E.hnappian"todoze,sleeplightly,"ofunknownorigin,apparentlyrelatedtoO.H.G.hnaffezan.Thenounisfirstattestedc.1300.NapaCaliforniacounty,perhapsfromaSouthernPatwin(Wiuntun)wordmeaning"homeland."napalm1942,fromna(phthenic)palm(itic)acids,usedinmanufactureofthechemicalthatthickensgasoline.Theverbis1950,fromthenoun.nape"backoftheneck,"c.1300,ofunknownorigin,perhapsfromO.Fr.hanap"agoblet,"inreferencetothehollowatthebaseoftheskull.naphtha"inflammableliquiddistilledfrompetroleum,"1572,fromL.,fromGk.naphtha"bitumen,"perhapsfromPers.neft"pitch,"orAramaicnaphta,nephta,butthesecouldaswellbefromGk.Naphthalenewascoined1821byEng.chemistJohnKidd(1775-1851)fromnaphtha+chem.suffix-ine+-l-forthesakeofeuphony.napkin1420,fromO.Fr.nappe"tablecloth"(fromL.mappa,seemap)+M.E.-kin"little."nappy(adj.)"downy,"1499,fromnap(n.).Meaning"fuzzy,kinky,"usedincolloquialorderogatoryref.tothehairofblackpeople,isfrom1950.narc(n.)1967,Amer.Eng.slang,shortenedformofnarcoticsagent(earliernarco).Hadbeenused1955fornarcoticshospital,1958fornarcoticsaddict.Senseandspellingtendingtomergewitholderbutunrelatednark(q.v.).narcissism1905,fromGer.Narzissismus,coined1899byN?cke[in"DiesexuellenPerversit?ten"],onacomparisonfirstsuggested1898byHavelockEllis,fromGk.Narkissos,beautifulyouthinmythology(Ovid,"Metamorphosis,"iii.370)whofellinlovewithhisownreflectioninaspringandwasturnedtotheflowernarcissus(q.v.).Firstrecordofnarcissisticisfrom1916;narcissistisfrom1930.ButalreadyKrishna,enamouredofhimself,hadresolvedtoexperiencelustforhisownself;hemanifestedhisownNatureinthecow-herdgirlsandenjoyedthem."[Karapatri,"Lingopasana-rahasya,"Siddhanta,II,1941-2]narcissus"typeofbulbousfloweringplant,"1548,fromL.,fromGk.narkissos,probablyfromapre-Gk.Aegeanword,butassociatedwithGk.narke"numbness"(seenarcotic)becauseoftheplant'ssedativeeffect.narcolepsy1880,fromFr.narcolepsie,coined1880byFr.physicianJean-Baptiste-édouardGélineau(1859-1928)fromcomb.formofGk.narke"numbness,stupor"(seenarcotic)+lepsis"anattack,seizure."narcosis1693,"stateofunconsciousnesscausedbyanarcotic,"fromMod.L.,fromGk.narkosis,fromnarkoun"tobenumb"(seenarcotic).narcotic(n.)c.1385,fromO.Fr.adj.narcotique(1314),fromM.L.narcoticum,fromGk.narkotikon,neut.ofnarkotikos"makingstiffornumb,"fromnarkotos,verbaladj.ofnarcoun"tobenumb,makeunconscious,"fromnarke"numbness,stupor,cramp,"perhapsfromPIEbase*(s)nerq-"toturn,twist."Senseof"anyillegaldrug"firstrecorded1926,Amer.Eng.Theadj.isfirstattested1601.nares"nostrils,"1693,fromL.nares,pl.ofnaris"nostril,"fromPIEbase*nas-(seenose).narghile"orientalwaterpipeforsmoking,"1839,fromFr.narghileh,fromPersiannargileh,fromnargil"cocoa-nut,"ofwhichthebowlwasoriginallymade.ThePers.wordisprobablyfromSkt.narikerah,whichmaybefromaDravidiansource.nark1859,"toactasapoliceinformer"(v.);1860,"policeinformer"(n.),probablyfromRomanynak"nose,"fromHindinak,fromSkt.nakra,whichprobablyisrelatedtoSkt.nasa"nose"(seenose).Senseandspellingtendingtomergewithunrelatednarc(q.v.).Narragansett1622,fromsouthernNewEnglandAlgonquianNaiaganset"(people)ofthesmallpointofland,"containingnai-"apointorangle."Originallyinreferencetothenativepeople,latertotheplaceinRhodeIsland.narration1432,fromO.Fr.narration"arelating,recounting,narrating,"fromL.narrationem(nom.narratio),fromnarrare"totell,relate,recount,explain,"lit."tomakeacquaintedwith,"fromgnarus"knowing,"fromPIEsuffixedzero-grade*gne-ro-,frombase*gno-"toknow"(seeknow).Narrateisfirstrecorded1656,butwasstigmatizedasScot.andnotingeneraluseuntil19c.narrative(adj.)c.1450,fromM.Fr.narratif,fromL.L.narrativus"suitedtonarration,"fromL.narrare(seenarration).Thenounmeaning"atale,story"isfirstrecorded1561,fromtheadjective.Narratorfirstattested1611;insenseof"acommentatorinaradioprogram"itisfrom1941.narrowO.E.nearu,fromW.Gmc.*narwaz(cf.Fris.nar,O.S.naro,M.Du.nare),notfoundinotherGmc.languagesandofunknownorigin.TheverbisO.E.nearwian,fromtheadj.Narrowly"onlybyalittle"isattestedfrom1560.Narrow-mindedfirstrecorded1625.Narrow-gaugerailwayis4feet8.5inchesorless.Thenarrowseas(c.1400)werethewatersbetweenGreatBritainandthecontinentandIreland.narthex"porchattheendofearlychurches"(usedbypenitentsnotadmittedtothebodyofthechurch),1673,fromLateGk.narthex,fromGk.narthex"giantfennel,"ofunknownorigin.Thearchitecturalfeaturesocalledfromfanciedresemblanceofporchtoahollowstem.ThewordalsowasusedinGk.tomean"asmallcaseforunguents,etc."narwhal1658,fromDan.andNorw.narhval,probablyametathesisofO.N.nahvalr,lit."corpse-whale,"fromna"corpse"+hvalr"whale"(seewhale).Socalledfromresemblanceofwhitishcolortothatofdeadbodies.ThefirstelementiscognatewithO.E.ne,neo,Goth.naus"corpse,"O.Cornishnaun,O.C.S.navi,O.Pruss.nowis"corpse,"Lett.nawe"death,"Lith.novyti"totorture,kill."nary1746,alterationofne'era,shortfornevera.NASAU.S.spaceagency,acronymofNationalAeronauticsandSpaceAdministration,setupin1958.nasal1656,"ofthenose,"fromFr.nasal,fromL.nasus"nose,"fromPIE*nas-(seenose).Ofspeechsounds,attestedfrom1669.NASCARacronymforNationalAssociationforStockCarAutoRacing,U.S.autoracingpromotiongroupfounded1948inDaytonaBeach,Fla.NASCARdadinU.S.politicalparlance,"small-town,oftenSouthernwhitemenwhoabandontraditionalDemocraticleaningstovoteRepublicanatleastonceeveryfouryears"coined2003byDemocraticpollsterCelindaLake.nascent1624,fromL.nascentum(nom.nascens),prp.ofnasci"tobeborn"(seegenus).Nashvilletypeofcountry&westernmusic,1963,fromNashville,capitalofTennessee,whereitoriginated.ThecityisnamedforGen.FrancisNash(1742-1777)ofNorthCarolina,U.S.RevolutionaryWarhero,killedattheBattleofGermantown.Thesurnameisattestedfrom1296inSussexSubsidyRolls,attenEysse,atteNasche(withassimilationof-n-fromapreposition;seeN),meaning"nearanashtree,"or"nearaplacecalledAsh."nasturtiumc.1150,"plantlikewatercress,"fromL.nasturtium"cress;"thepopularetymologyexplanationofthename(Pliny)isthatitisfromL.*nasitortium,lit."nose-twist,"fromnasus"nose"+pp.oftorquere"totwist"(seethwart);theplantsocalledforitspungentodor.ModernapplicationtoS.Amer.trailingplantwithorangeflowersfirstrecorded1704.nastyc.1400,"foul,filthy,dirty,unclean,"perhapsfromO.Fr.nastre"bad,strange,"shortenedformofvillenastre"infamous,bad,"fromvilein"villain"+-astre,pejorativesuffix,fromL.-aster.AlternateetymologyisfromDu.nestig"dirty,"lit."likeabird'snest."LikelyreinforcedbyaScand.source(cf.Swed.dial.naskug"dirty,nasty").Ofweather,from1634;ofthingsgenerally,"unpleasant,offensive,"from1705.Ofpeople,"ill-tempered,"from1825.natalc.1374,fromL.natalis"pertainingtobirthororigin,"fromnatus,pp.ofnasci"tobeborn"(seegenus).Npername,fromFr.Natalie,fromEccles.L.Natalia,fromL.(dies)natalis"birthday,"inChurchL.,"ChristmasDay,"soprobablyoriginallyanameforonebornonChristmas.natatorium1890,NewEnglandishwordfor"swimmingpool,"fromL.natator"swimmer"(fromnare"toswim")+-ium,neut.suffix.LatinnareisfromPIE*sna-"toswim,toflow"(cf.Arm.nay"wet,liquid;"Gk.notios"damp,moist,"nao"Iflow;"Skt.snati"bathes;"M.Ir.snaim"Iswim;"andprobablyalsoGk.nesos"island,"from*na-sos,lit."thatwhichswims").natchcolloquialshorteningofnaturally,firstrecorded1945.Npername,biblicalprophet,fromHeb.Nathan,lit."hehasgiven,"fromverbnathan,relatedtomattan"gift."Npername,fromL.L.Nathanael,fromGk.Nathanael,fromHeb.Nethan'el,lit."Godhasgiven."nationc.1300,fromO.Fr.nacion,fromL.nationem(nom.natio)"nation,stock,race,"lit."thatwhichhasbeenborn,"fromnatus,pp.ofnasci"beborn"(seenative).Politicalsensehasgraduallytakenoverfromracialmeaning"largegroupofpeoplewithcommonancestry."OldersensepreservedinapplicationtoN.Amer.Indianpeoples(1650).Nationality"thefactofbelongingtoaparticularnation"isfrom1828.Nation-buildingfirstattested1907(impliedinnation-builder).Nationalisfrom1597;nationalanthemfirstrecorded1819,inShelley.Nationalize"bringunderstatecontrol"isfrom1869.nationalist"onedevotedtohisnation,"1715,fromnationalinanowobsoletesenseof"patriotic"(1711),fromnation(q.v.).Nationalisminthissensefirstrecorded1844;earlieritwasusedinatheologicalsenseof"thedoctrineofdivineelectionofnations"(1836).native(adj.)c.1374,fromO.Fr.natif(fem.native),fromL.nativus"innate,producedbybirth,"fromnatus,pp.ofnasci,gnasci"beborn,"relatedtogignere"beget,"fromPIEbase*gen-/*gn-"produce"(seegenus).Thenounisc.1450,originallymeaning"personborninbondage,"later(1535)"personwhohasalwayslivedinaplace."Appliedfrom1652tooriginalinhabitantsofnon-EuropeannationswhereEuropeansholdpoliticalpower;hence,usedcontemptuouslyof"thelocals"from1800.NativismasaU.S.anti-immigrantmovementisfrom1845.nativityc.1122,fromO.Fr.nativité"birth"(12c.),fromL.L.nativitatem(nom.nativitas)"birth,"fromL.nativus"born,native"(seenative).LateO.E.hadnativitee,fromearlierO.Fr.nativited.NATOacronymofNorthAtlanticTreatyOrganization,whichwassetupin1949.natter"grumble,fret,"1829,northernEnglanddialectvariantofgnatter"tochatter,grumble,"earlier(18c.)"tonibbleaway,"probablyofechoicorigin.natterjack1769,rarekindoftoadwithayellowstripeonitsback;secondelementprobablypropernamejack(q.v.);forfirstelement,Weekleysuggestsconnectionwithattor"poison"(cf.attercop).natty1785,"neat,smart,"originallyslang,tie"neat,natty,"fromM.E.net"pure,fine,elegant"(seeneat).naturalc.1300,naturel,"ofone'sinborncharacter,oftheworldofnature(especiallyasopposedtoman),"fromO.Fr.naturel,fromL.naturalis"bybirth,accordingtonature,"fromnatura"nature"(seenature).Meaning"easy,freefromaffectation"isattestedfrom1607.Asaeuphemismfor"illegitimate,bastard"(ofchildren),itisfirstrecorded1586,onnotionofbloodkinship(butnotlegalstatus).Thenounsenseof"personwithanaturalgiftortalent"isfirstattested1925,originallyinprizefighting.Natural-bornfirstattested1583.Naturalorder"apparentorderinnature"isfrom1697.Naturalchildbirthfirstattested1933.Naturallife,usuallyinref.tothedurationoflife,isfrom1483.Naturalhistoryisfrom1567(seehistory).naturalist"studentofplantsandanimals,"1600,fromnatural(q.v.).naturalize"admit(analien)torightsofacitizen,"1559(impliedinnaturalized),fromnatural(q.v.)initsetymologicalsenseof"bybirth."naturally"asmightbeexpected,"1641,fromHYPERLINK"bbb