naan

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈnän  ˈnan 

variants or less commonly nan

: a round flat leavened bread especially of the Indian subcontinent

nan

2 of 2

noun (2)

less common spelling of naan

: a round flat leavened bread especially of the Indian subcontinent

Examples of naan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Old food debris was on the prep table for bread and naan. — Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado may 8, Sacbee.com, 8 May 2026

Between the bold flavor, tender white meat chicken, mild spice level, fluffy rice, and soft naan, this meal just worked. — Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 14 May 2026

Noun

Fortunately for Long, her nan loved her front-row seat to this special dance show. — Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025

In West Virginia, there are nanas and nans, grams and grandmas, grannies, abuelas, and even some nonnas. — Casey Cep, New Yorker, 9 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Hindi & Urdu & Persian; Hindi & Urdu nān bread, from Persian

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1828, in the meaning defined above

Geographical Definition

Nan

geographical name

ˈnän 

river 390 miles (628 kilometers) long in northern Thailand flowing south to join the Ping River forming the Chao Phraya River