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

This restaurant, like so many recent high-profile openings, is part of the genuinely thrilling wave of South Asian restaurants arguing for regional precision, pushing back against decades of commodity Indian cuisine, the culture- and geography-flattening tikka masalas and garlic naans. —Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 31 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

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

For lunch and dinner, opt for salads, soups, and pasta dishes or adventure deep into a traditional Indian pre-set thali with fluffy nans or crispy tandoori-rotis to dip into delectable lamb curries, lentils, and local vegetables picked fresh from the Sher Bagh farm nearby. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Jan. 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