nun

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈnən 

: a woman belonging to a religious order

especially : one under solemn vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience

nunlike

ˈnən-ˌlīk 

adjective

nun

2 of 2

noun (2)

ˈnu̇n 

: the 14th letter of the Hebrew alphabet see Alphabet Table

Examples of nun in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Between the river’s source, entrusted to an order of Orthodox nuns, and its southern delta, where caviar bound for the Kremlin is harvested, the author journeys through a defiant country transformed by war, sanctions, and reinvigorated patriotism. —The New Yorker, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026

Join us next week to find out what happened to a woman who, left stranded after her Greyhound bus broke down, ended up sharing a motel room with two nuns. —Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026

The backstory The former convent was once home to some of the richest cloistered nuns in South Tyrol. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026

The devout Catholic’s initial activism was in part funded by small donations from nuns, both Williams and David Garcia said. —Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026

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

Rhymes for nun

• bun
• done
• dun
• fun
• gun
• hun
• jun
• none
• one
• pun
• run
• shun

Kids Definition

nun

noun

ˈnən

: a woman belonging to a religious order

especially : one living under solemn vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience