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Definition(s) of “N”
n
abbreviation
• name.
• [in combination ] (in units of measurement) nano- (10 −9): : the plates were coated with 500 ng of protein in sodium carbonate buffer.
• born. [ORIGIN: from Latin nātus.]
• nephew.
• net.
• Grammar neuter.
• new.
• nominative.
• noon.
• ( n- ) [in combination ] Chemistry normal (denoting straight-chain hydrocarbons) : n-hexane.
• north or northern.
• note (used in a book's index to refer to a footnote) : 450n.
• Finance note.
• Grammar noun.
• number.
symbol
an unspecified or variable number : at the limit where n equals infinity. See also nth .
-en 1
suffix forming verbs:
1 (from adjectives) denoting the development, creation, or intensification of a state : widen | deepen | loosen.
2 from nouns (such as strengthen from strength).
ORIGIN Old English -nian, of Germanic origin.
-en 2
suffix (also -n) forming adjectives from nouns:
1 made or consisting of : earthen | woolen.
2 resembling : golden | silvern.
ORIGIN Old English , of Germanic origin.
-en 3 (also -n)
suffix forming past participles of strong verbs:
1 as a regular inflection : spoken.
2 as an adjective : mistaken | torn.
• often with a restricted adjectival sense : drunken | sunken.
ORIGIN Old English , of Germanic origin.
-en 4
suffix
forming the plural of a few nouns such as children, oxen.
ORIGIN Middle English reduction of the earlier suffix -an.
-en 5
suffix
forming diminutives of nouns (such as chicken, maiden).
ORIGIN Old English , of Germanic origin.
-en 6
suffix
1 forming feminine nouns such as vixen.
2 forming abstract nouns such as burden.
ORIGIN Old English , of Germanic origin.
-n 1
suffix
variant spelling of -en 2 .
-n 2
suffix
variant spelling of -en 3 .
N 1 |en| (also n)
noun ( pl. Ns or N's )
the fourteenth letter of the alphabet. See also en .
• denoting the next after M in a set of items, categories, etc.
N 2
abbreviation
• (used in recording moves in chess) knight : 17.Na4? [ORIGIN: representing the pronunciation of kn-, since the initial letter k- represents [king.] ]
• Nationalist.
• (on a gear lever) neutral.
• (chiefly in place names) New : N Zealand.
• Physics newton(s).
• Noon.
• Chemistry (with reference to solutions) normal : the pH was adjusted to 7.0 with 1 N HCl.
• Norse.
• North or Northern : 78° N | N Ireland.
• Finance note.
• nuclear : the N bomb.
symbol
the chemical element nitrogen.
newton |ˈn(y)oōtn| (abbr.: N)
noun Physics
the SI unit of force. It is equal to the force that would give a mass of one kilogram an acceleration of one meter per second per second, and is equivalent to 100,000 dynes.
ORIGIN early 20th cent.: named after Sir Isaac Newton .
nitrogen |ˈnītrəjən|
noun
the chemical element of atomic number 7, a colorless, odorless unreactive gas that forms about 78 percent of the earth's atmosphere. Liquid nitrogen (made by distilling liquid air) boils at 77.4 kelvins (−195.8°C) and is used as a coolant. (Symbol: N)
ORIGIN late 18th cent.: from French nitrogène (see nitro- , -gen ).