Nan

¹

[ nan ]

noun

1. a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter N.
2. a female given name.

nan-

²

1. variant of nano- before a vowel:

   nanoid.

nan

/ næn; ˈnænə /

noun

1. a child's words for grandmother

Word History and Origins

Origin of Nan¹

see nanny ; compare Greek nanna aunt, Medieval Latin nonna old woman

Example Sentences

In preparation for my climb up Meall nan Tarmachan, on the banks of Loch Tay, I had successfully scaled another mountain the weekend before with no problems.

From BBC

Despite all my health problems since last summer, I have completed my first nine, including Meall nan Tarmachan second time around.

From BBC

A need for greater support was also something felt by Nan, again not her real name, who took on responsibility for five grandchildren after her daughter was jailed.

From BBC

Their four boys and one girl lived with Nan in her two-bedroom house for a period of two years.

From BBC

"I was in a panic constantly," Nan said.

From BBC

Words That Use nan-

What does nan- mean?

Nan– is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “very small, minute.” In names of units of measure, it means “one billionth.” It is very occasionally used in scientific and technical terms.

Nan– comes from Greek nânos or nánnos, meaning “dwarf.”

What are variants of nan-?

Nan– is a variant of nano–, which loses its –o– when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use nano– article.

Examples of nan-

One example of a medical term that uses the form nan– is nanoid, meaning “dwarfish” or “abnormally small.”

The nan– part of the word means “very small,” as we have already seen. What about the –oid part of nanoid? The suffix –oid means “resembling; like.” Nanoid literally translates to “resembling something small.”

What are some words that use the combining form nan-?

• nanism (using the equivalent form of nan- in French)
• nanite
• nanobe
• nanous

What are some other forms that nan– may be commonly confused with?

• meno-
• non-

Not every word that begins with the exact letters nan-, such as nanua or nanny, is necessarily using the combining form nan– to denote “very small.” Learn why nanny means “caretaker” at our entry for the word.

Break it down!

The suffix –ism can denote state or conditions. With this in mind, what does nanism literally mean?