1
: knob, lump
2
: nubbin
3
: gist, point
the nub of the problem

Examples of nub in a Sentence

The dog chewed his bone down to a nub. The shoes have little nubs on the bottom that prevent you from slipping.
Recent Examples on the Web How about a girl dinner with that leftover nub of cheese? Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 15 Aug. 2024 Our tasters were looking for a kernel of corn or nub of broccoli, evidence that the burger was proud to be vegetarian, not shy about it. Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 7 Aug. 2024 My favorite component may have been the peach gum, small amber nubs of a chewy, sticky substance I was told came from the sap of a peach tree. Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2024 If your partner is open to it, explore gentle sucking around their nub and even directly on it, Dr. O’Reilly says. Erica Sloan, SELF, 18 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for nub 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nub.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

alteration of English dialect knub, probably from Low German knubbe

First Known Use

1696, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nub was in 1696

Dictionary Entries Near nub

Cite this Entry

“Nub.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nub. Accessed 7 Sep. 2024.

Kids Definition

nub

noun
1
2
: the main point of a matter
the nub of the story

More from Merriam-Webster on nub

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!