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

Dressed to the nines, Courtnie and Josh tied the knot in heartwarming fashion, and then proceeded to the reception, where the wedding party was introduced to the sounds of the the anthem for the Chicago Bulls. —Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 29 Oct. 2025

Photos show the pair of canines dressed to the nines in suits for the photos. —Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025

Thousands of people gathered dressed to the nines, the women rocking sequined gowns and kitten heels, the men wearing tailored suits and polished dress shoes. —Jessica Roiz, Billboard, 27 Oct. 2025

Normani, Ally Brooke, and Dinah Jane were shown several times seated at a prominent ballroom-side table dressed to the nines in support of their sister in song. —Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 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