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
Next to Paul, these two were practically nuns. Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 10 Sep. 2025 Charitable care systems began when hospitals were led by nuns who predominantly cared for the sick and poor. Megan Garnai, IndyStar, 10 Sep. 2025 And could her future be seen as a battle between two wannabe mother figures – between Maite and the nun who befriends Ainara. John Hopewell, Variety, 9 Sep. 2025 Maybe the nuns could be transformed into spa therapists at a wellness retreat and the toxin explained away as a surfeit of matcha. Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nun. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

nun

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

More from Merriam-Webster on nun

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