Loading earlier words…
Noumenon

The of itself unknown and unknowable rational object, or thing in itself, which is distinguished from the phenomenon through which it is apprehended by the senses, and by which it is interpreted and understood; -- so used in the philosophy of Kant and his followers.

Noun

A word used as the designation or appellation of a creature or thing, existing in fact or in thought; a substantive.

Nounal

Of or pertaining to a noun.

Nounize

To change (an adjective, verb, etc.) into a noun; to nominalize.

Noursle

To nurse; to rear; to bring up.

Nous

Intellect; understanding; talent; -- used humorously.

Nova

A star which suddenly increases in brightness thousands of times, then fades back to near its original intensity. It may appear as a /new/ star if its original brightness was too low for routine observation. A star which suddenly increases in brightness to many millions of times its original intensity is a supernova, and the postulated mechanisms for the increases of brightness of novae and supernovae are different.

Novaculite

A variety of siliceous slate, of which hones are made; razor stone; Turkey stone; hone stone; whet slate.

Novatian

One of the sect of Novatius, or Novatianus, who held that the lapsed might not be received again into communion with the church, and that second marriages are unlawful.

Novatianism

The doctrines or principles of the Novatians.

Novel

That which is new or unusual; a novelty.

Novelist

An innovator; an asserter of novelty.

Novelty

The quality or state of being novel; newness; freshness; recentness of origin or introduction.

November

The eleventh month of the year, containing thirty days.

Novenary

The number of nine units; nine, collectively.

Novene

Relating to, or dependent on, the number nine; novenary.

Novercal

Of or pertaining to a stepmother; suitable to, or in the manner of, a stepmother.

Novice

Like a novice; becoming a novice.

Novosibirsk

A city in the Asian part of Russia. Much Soviet military research was performed there, and until the 1990's it was restricted from entry by foreigners.

Novum

A game at dice, properly called novem quinque (L., nine five), the two principal throws being nine and five.

Now

The present time or moment; the present.

Nowadays

In these days; at the present time.

Nowd

The European gray gurnard (Trigla gurnardus).

Nowed

Knotted; tied in a knot, as a serpent.

Nowel

The core, or the inner part, of a mold for casting a large hollow object. The bottom part of a mold or of a flask, in distinction from the cope; the drag.

Nowhere

Not anywhere; not in any place or state; as, the book is nowhere to be found.

Nowhither

Not anywhither; in no direction; nowhere.

Nowise

Not in any manner or degree; in no way; noways.

Noy

That which annoys.

Noyade

A drowning of many persons at once, -- a method of execution practiced at Nantes in France during the Reign of Terror, by Jean Baptiste Carrier.

Noyau

A cordial of brandy, etc., flavored with the kernel of the bitter almond, or of the peach stone, etc.

Nozzle

The nose; the snout; hence, the projecting vent of anything; as, the nozzle of a bellows.

Np

The chemical symbol for Neptunium, a transuranic element having atomic number 93.

nth

Last or greatest in an indefinitely large series; as, to the nth degree.

nu

The 13th letter of the Greek alphabet (/).

Nuance

A shade of difference; a delicate gradation.

Nub

A jag, or snag; a knob; a protuberance; also, the point or gist, as of a story.

Nubbin

A small or imperfect ear of maize.

Nubble

To beat or bruise with the fist.

Nubecula

A nebula. Specifically, the Magellanic clouds.

nubia

A light fabric of wool, worn on the head by women; a cloud.

Nubian

Of or pertaining to Nubia in Eastern Africa. A native of Nubia.

Nubile

Of an age suitable for marriage; marriageable.

Nubility

The state of being marriageable.

Nucament

A catkin or ament; the flower cluster of the hazel, pine, willow, and the like.

Nucamentaceous

Like a nut either in structure or in being indehiscent; bearing one-seeded nutlike fruits.

Nucha

The back or upper part of the neck; the nape.

Nuchal

Of, pertaining to, or in the region of, the back, or nape, of the neck; -- applied especially to the anterior median plate in the carapace of turtles.

Nuclear

of, pertaining to, or using nuclear weapons; a nuclear exchange, i.e. a reciprocal bombardment by nuclear weapons..

Nuclear device

an explosive device, whether used as a weapon or for other purposes, which depends for most of its explosive power on the release of energy from within atomic nuclei. A fission device or a fusion device.

nuclear energy

Energy derived from nuclear reactions; -- used at present especially of electrical power generated in atomic reactors, but encompassing also fusion energy.

nuclear engineering

The branch of engineering concerned with the design and construction and operation of nuclear reactors.

nuclear explosion

The explosion of an atomic bomb or atomic device; -- sometimes also used of fusion-powered explosions.

nuclear family

A family consisting of parents and their children and grandparents of a marital partner.

nuclear fission

A nuclear reaction in which a heavy atomic nucleus splits into smaller nuclei with the simultaneous release of energy.

nuclear fusion

A type of nuclear reaction in which atomic nuclei combine to form more massive nuclei with the simultaneous release of energy.

nuclear fusion reaction

A nuclear reaction in which nuclei combine to form more massive nuclei with the simultaneous release of energy.

nuclear magnetic resonance

The specific absorption and re-emission of electromagnetic radiation at characteristic wavelengths by atomic nuclei in a magnetic field. It is abbreviated NMR. The wavelength of the radiation absorbed depends on the type of nucleus, the intensity of the magnetic field, and the local chemical environment in which the nucleus resides. It is the latter effect (called the chemical shift), by which atoms of specific elements in different chemical compounds show a different resonance frequency, which gives rise to the greatest utility of this phenomenon in analyzing the chemical structure of substances. Similar effects of the chemical environment permit the discrimination of different types of living tissue by virtue of their different chemical composition, thus permitting utilization of the phenomenon in medical diagnostic instruments, especially for magnetic resonance imaging.

Nuclear Nucleal

Of or pertaining to a nucleus; as, the nuclear spindle (see Illust. of Karyokinesis) or the nuclear fibrils of a cell; the nuclear part of a comet, etc.

Nuclear physics

That branch of physics which studies the structure of and phenomena observed in atomic nuclei.

nuclear power

Power derived from nuclear reactions; -- used at present especially of electrical power generated in atomic reactors, but encompassing also fusion power.

nuclear reaction

A process that alters the energy or structure or composition of an atomic nucleus.

nuclear reactor

Any of several devices that maintain and control a sustained nuclear fission chain reaction, for the production of energy, heat, or artificial elements, or for research purposes. The main fuel sustaining the reaction and consumed by the process is typically uranium or plutonium.

nuclear resonance

The resonance absorption of a gamma ray by a nucleus identical to the nucleus that emitted the gamma ray.

nuclear war

A war in which nuclear weapons are used by both sides. As generally used, the term assumes major use of nuclear weapons by at least two opposing warring states. As of 1999, no nuclear war has occurred.

nuclear warhead

The warhead of a missile containing an atom bomb or hydrogen bomb.

Nuclear weapon

A weapon of great explosive power, such as an atomic bomb or a hydrogen bomb, which depends for most of its explosive power on the release of energy from within atomic nuclei by a nuclear reaction. A fission weapon or a fusion weapon. The term includes atomic shells for cannon.

nuclear winter

a hypothetical lowering of global temperature postulated as the aftermath of a full nuclear war. The mechanism of such an effect depends primarily on the injection into the atmosphere of small solid particles, as soot from burning forests, which reflect sunlight and cause a reduction in solar energy retained by the earth.

nuclear-powered ship

A ship for which the motive power comes from the energy generated by a nuclear reactor.

nuclear-powered submarine

A submarine for which the motive power comes from the energy generated by a nuclear reactor. Same as nuclear submarine.

Nucleate

To gather, as about a nucleus or center.

nucleate

To form into a nucleus or multiple nuclei; as, raindrops may nucleate around silver iodide crystals.

Nucleated

Having a nucleus; nucleate; as, nucleated cells.

nucleic acid

A natural or synthetic polymer consisting of chains of ribonucleotide or deoxyribonucleotide units.

Nuclein

A constituent of the nuclei of all cells, containing protein and nucleic acid. It is a colorless amorphous substance, readily soluble in alkaline fluids and especially characterized by its comparatively large content of phosphorus. It also contains nitrogen and sulphur.

Nucleobranch

Belonging to the Nucleobranchiata. One of the Nucleobranchiata.

Nucleolar

Of or pertaining to the nucleolus of a cell.

Nucleole

The nucleus within a nucleus; nucleolus.

Loading more words…