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

Nine : 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

see also:

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

Everyone is dressed to the nines for Hollywood’s prom night, and all the celebrity couples are in the running for prom king and queen. —Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2026

Spirits are high, Oscars are newly engraved, and Hollywood's A-plus-plus list is all gathered in one place, dressed to the nines and more than ready to celebrate. —Kase Wickman, Vanity Fair, 16 Mar. 2026

Moore also dressed to the nines then, walking the carpet in a custom Giorgio Armani privé dress. —Christina Perrier, InStyle, 15 Mar. 2026

Spearheaded by architect Brian Curley, The River Club remodel flips the course’s two nines. —Mark Dee march 14, Idaho Statesman, 14 Mar. 2026

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