N

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does N mean? 

• N (noun)
  The noun N has 5 senses:

1. a common nonmetallic element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless inert diatomic gas; constitutes 78 percent of the atmosphere by volume; a constituent of all living tissues

2. the cardinal compass point that is at 0 or 360 degrees

3. a unit of force equal to the force that imparts an acceleration of 1 m/sec/sec to a mass of 1 kilogram; equal to 100,000 dynes

4. (of a solution) concentration expressed in gram equivalents of solute per liter

5. the 14th letter of the Roman alphabet

  Familiarity information: N used as a noun is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• N (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A common nonmetallic element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless inert diatomic gas; constitutes 78 percent of the atmosphere by volume; a constituent of all living tissues

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Synonyms:

atomic number 7; N; nitrogen

Hypernyms ("N" is a kind of...):

chemical element; element (any of the more than 100 known substances (of which 92 occur naturally) that cannot be separated into simpler substances and that singly or in combination constitute all matter)

gas (a fluid in the gaseous state having neither independent shape nor volume and being able to expand indefinitely)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "N"):

azote (an obsolete name for nitrogen)

liquid nitrogen (nitrogen in a liquid state)

Holonyms ("N" is a substance of...):

air (a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The cardinal compass point that is at 0 or 360 degrees

Classified under:

Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas

Synonyms:

due north; N; north; northward

Hypernyms ("N" is a kind of...):

cardinal compass point (one of the four main compass points)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A unit of force equal to the force that imparts an acceleration of 1 m/sec/sec to a mass of 1 kilogram; equal to 100,000 dynes

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Synonyms:

N; newton

Hypernyms ("N" is a kind of...):

force unit (a unit of measurement of physical force)

Meronyms (parts of "N"):

dyne (a unit of force equal to the force that imparts an acceleration of 1 cm/sec/sec to a mass of 1 gram)

Holonyms ("N" is a part of...):

sthene (a unit of force equal to 1000 newtons)

Sense 4

Meaning:

(of a solution) concentration expressed in gram equivalents of solute per liter

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Synonyms:

N; normality

Hypernyms ("N" is a kind of...):

relative quantity (a quantity relative to some purpose)

Domain category:

solution (a homogeneous mixture of two or more substances; frequently (but not necessarily) a liquid solution)

Sense 5

Meaning:

The 14th letter of the Roman alphabet

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("N" is a kind of...):

alphabetic character; letter; letter of the alphabet (the conventional characters of the alphabet used to represent speech)

Holonyms ("N" is a member of...):

Latin alphabet; Roman alphabet (the alphabet evolved by the ancient Romans which serves for writing most of the languages of western Europe)

 Context examples 

“Cap'n Silver, sir, to come on board and make terms,” he shouted.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

I do not say when, but perhaps you may guess where;—in the building in which N. takes M. for better, for worse.”

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

Now, Copperfield, you are so exactly what you used to be, with that agreeable face, and it's so pleasant to see you, that I sha'n't conceal anything.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Iván Oteo explains why these objects are unexpected: The lifetime of dusty starbursts is thought to be relatively short, because they consume their gas at an extraordinary rate.

(Ancient Galaxy Megamergers, ESO)

They paid 'm more'n I could afford.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

It's no more'n fair, seein' I'll be out of sight inside a hundred yards.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

U.N. experts have also said medicines in the environment are helping create drug-resistant bacteria.

(Experts Warn Prescription, Over-the-Counter Drugs Polluting World's Rivers, VOA)

“You’re not to be trusted on the box until you can handle your whip better’n that.”

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Aminopeptidase N (967 aa, ~110 kDa) is encoded by the human ANPEP gene.

(Aminopeptidase N, NCI Thesaurus)

The questionnaire contains 20 questions and each can be answered with Yes, No, or N/A (Not Applicable).

(Airway Questionnaire 20, NCI Thesaurus)