nine

noun

ˈnīn 

1

: a number that is one more than eight see Table of Numbers

2

: the ninth in a set or series

wears a nine

3

: something having nine units or members: such as

a

capitalized : the nine Muses

b

: a baseball team

c

: the first or last nine holes of an 18-hole golf course

nine adjective

nine pronoun, plural in construction

Phrases

to the nines

1

: to perfection

2

: in a highly elaborate or showy manner

dressed to the nines

Examples of nine in a Sentence

The next card was the nine of diamonds.

She wears a size nine.

“What time is it?” “It's nine.”

He woke up at nine this morning.

Recent Examples on the Web

Mothers are expected to work a 9-5, chaperone field trips, organize Pinterest-worthy parties, cook four-course meals, have immaculate houses, flawless makeup and hair, and be dressed to the nines. —Jennifer Jay Palumbo, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025

Dressed to the nines, the two were waiting to go in when someone approached them. —Allison Moses, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2025

Jack died four years ago and Helen still can be found at the store, always dressed to the nines! —Andrea Manes, Oc Register, 14 Aug. 2025

Starting with Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku as dual false nines at the Amex Stadium, Chelsea lacked a consistent penalty-box presence or a reliable means to stretch the opposition defence. —Liam Twomey, New York Times, 14 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from nyne, adjective, from Old English nigon; akin to Old High German niun nine, Latin novem, Greek ennea

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing nine

• a stitch in time (saves nine)
• back nine
• cat-o'-nine-tails
• cloud nine
• front nine
• nine days' wonder
• nine times out of ten
• nine-to-five job
• nine-to-fiver
• ninety-nine times out of a hundred
• ninety/ninety-nine percent of the time
• on cloud nine
• sixty-nine
• the whole nine yards

Rhymes for nine

• brine
• cline
• dine
• fein
• fine
• gwine
• hine
• jain
• klein
• kline
• line
• mine

Kids Definition

nine

noun

ˈnīn 

1

: a number that is one more than eight see number

2

: the ninth in a set or series

3

: a baseball team

nine adjective or pronoun