nun

1 of 2

noun (1)

: a woman belonging to a religious order
especially : one under solemn vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience
nunlike adjective

nun

2 of 2

noun (2)

: the 14th letter of the Hebrew alphabet see Alphabet Table

Examples of nun in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
But for some hundred years, groups of ladies of the night took vows and lived as nuns there, controlling the affairs of their own convent with an iron fist. Joelle Rollo-Koster, The Conversation, 25 Feb. 2025 So how are these schools keeping their religious identity with fewer nuns, a traditional cornerstone of Catholic education? Phaedra Trethan, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2025 During this period, the residence was handed over to a group of Benedictine nuns of the Diocese of Oria, who turned the estate into an olive farm and dairy. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 23 Feb. 2025 The nuns continued visiting, and many of the inmates have now become devoted Catholics. Daniel Zalewski, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for nun

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English nunne, from Late Latin nonna

Noun (2)

Hebrew nūn

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

circa 1567, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nun was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Nun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nun. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

nun

noun
ˈnən
: a woman belonging to a religious order
especially : one living under solemn vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience

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