"nan" meaning in English

See nan in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /næn/ Audio: en-us-nan.ogg Forms: nans [plural]
Rhymes: -æn Etymology: From Nan, pet form of the formerly very common female given names Anne and Agnes. As a nursemaid and grandmother, a clipping of earlier nana, from nanny under the probable influence of mama, also from Nan. Compare Mary. Head templates: {{en-noun}} nan (plural nans)
  1. (obsolete) Synonym of maid: a servant girl. Tags: obsolete Synonyms: maid [synonym, synonym-of]
    Sense id: en-nan-en-noun-TqPLgPfB Categories (other): LGBTQ Disambiguation of LGBTQ: 24 29 16 16 15
  2. (slang, obsolete) Synonym of nancy: an effeminate male homosexual. Tags: obsolete, slang Synonyms: nancy [synonym, synonym-of]
    Sense id: en-nan-en-noun-DfNf-pOX Categories (other): LGBTQ Disambiguation of LGBTQ: 24 29 16 16 15
  3. (UK, endearing) Synonym of nursemaid. Tags: UK, endearing Synonyms: nursemaid [synonym, synonym-of]
    Sense id: en-nan-en-noun-iJUkfhkE Categories (other): British English, LGBTQ Disambiguation of LGBTQ: 24 29 16 16 15
  4. (British, Ireland, Australia, Canada, endearing) Synonym of grandmother. Tags: Australia, British, Canada, Ireland, endearing Synonyms: grandmother [synonym, synonym-of]
    Sense id: en-nan-en-noun-KmHhA8IW Categories (other): Australian English, British English, Canadian English, Irish English, English entries with incorrect language header, Female family members, LGBTQ, Occupations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 11 11 17 53 8 Disambiguation of Female family members: 7 7 8 72 7 Disambiguation of LGBTQ: 24 29 16 16 15 Disambiguation of Occupations: 13 15 13 47 12
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Derived forms: nan flap
Etymology number: 1

Noun

IPA: /næn/ [Received-Pronunciation], /nɑːn/ [Received-Pronunciation], /næn/ [General-American], /nɑn/ [General-American] Forms: nans [plural]
Etymology: See at naan. Head templates: {{en-noun}} nan (plural nans)
  1. Alternative spelling of naan Tags: alt-of, alternative Alternative form of: naan
    Sense id: en-nan-en-noun-GDAJL7Zh Categories (other): LGBTQ Disambiguation of LGBTQ: 24 29 16 16 15
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Etymology number: 2

Inflected forms

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "nan flap"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_number": 1,
  "etymology_text": "From Nan, pet form of the formerly very common female given names Anne and Agnes. As a nursemaid and grandmother, a clipping of earlier nana, from nanny under the probable influence of mama, also from Nan. Compare Mary.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "nans",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "nan (plural nans)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "24 29 16 16 15",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "LGBTQ",
          "orig": "en:LGBTQ",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Synonym of maid: a servant girl."
      ],
      "id": "en-nan-en-noun-TqPLgPfB",
      "links": [
        [
          "maid",
          "maid#English"
        ],
        [
          "servant",
          "servant"
        ],
        [
          "girl",
          "girl"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(obsolete) Synonym of maid: a servant girl."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "extra": "a servant girl",
          "tags": [
            "synonym",
            "synonym-of"
          ],
          "word": "maid"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "obsolete"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "24 29 16 16 15",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "LGBTQ",
          "orig": "en:LGBTQ",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Synonym of nancy: an effeminate male homosexual."
      ],
      "id": "en-nan-en-noun-DfNf-pOX",
      "links": [
        [
          "nancy",
          "nancy#English"
        ],
        [
          "effeminate",
          "effeminate"
        ],
        [
          "male",
          "male"
        ],
        [
          "homosexual",
          "homosexual"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(slang, obsolete) Synonym of nancy: an effeminate male homosexual."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "extra": "an effeminate male homosexual",
          "tags": [
            "synonym",
            "synonym-of"
          ],
          "word": "nancy"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "obsolete",
        "slang"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "British English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "24 29 16 16 15",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "LGBTQ",
          "orig": "en:LGBTQ",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Synonym of nursemaid."
      ],
      "id": "en-nan-en-noun-iJUkfhkE",
      "links": [
        [
          "endearing",
          "endearing"
        ],
        [
          "nursemaid",
          "nursemaid#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(UK, endearing) Synonym of nursemaid."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "tags": [
            "synonym",
            "synonym-of"
          ],
          "word": "nursemaid"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "endearing"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Australian English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "British English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Canadian English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Irish English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "11 11 17 53 8",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "7 7 8 72 7",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Female family members",
          "orig": "en:Female family members",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "24 29 16 16 15",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "LGBTQ",
          "orig": "en:LGBTQ",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "13 15 13 47 12",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Occupations",
          "orig": "en:Occupations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              10,
              13
            ]
          ],
          "text": "We had my nan over for Christmas dinner.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Synonym of grandmother."
      ],
      "id": "en-nan-en-noun-KmHhA8IW",
      "links": [
        [
          "endearing",
          "endearing"
        ],
        [
          "grandmother",
          "grandmother#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(British, Ireland, Australia, Canada, endearing) Synonym of grandmother."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "tags": [
            "synonym",
            "synonym-of"
          ],
          "word": "grandmother"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Australia",
        "British",
        "Canada",
        "Ireland",
        "endearing"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/næn/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-nan.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/5/5b/En-us-nan.ogg/En-us-nan.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/En-us-nan.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-æn"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "NaN"
    }
  ],
  "word": "nan"
}

{
  "etymology_number": 2,
  "etymology_text": "See at naan.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "nans",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "nan (plural nans)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "word": "naan"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "24 29 16 16 15",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "LGBTQ",
          "orig": "en:LGBTQ",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              141,
              144
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2002, Desmond Barry, A Bloody Good Friday, page 157:",
          "text": "Gerry ordered poppadoms and parathas and then he was interrupted by requests for vindaloos, chicken madrases and sag joshes, rice, raita and nan, from Priest, Morgan and Maria Grazia.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Alternative spelling of naan"
      ],
      "id": "en-nan-en-noun-GDAJL7Zh",
      "links": [
        [
          "naan",
          "naan#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "alt-of",
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/næn/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/nɑːn/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/næn/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/nɑn/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "nan"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English clippings",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English eponyms",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English palindromes",
    "English terms with homophones",
    "Pages with 28 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Rhymes:English/æn",
    "Rhymes:English/æn/1 syllable",
    "en:Female family members",
    "en:LGBTQ",
    "en:Occupations"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "nan flap"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_number": 1,
  "etymology_text": "From Nan, pet form of the formerly very common female given names Anne and Agnes. As a nursemaid and grandmother, a clipping of earlier nana, from nanny under the probable influence of mama, also from Nan. Compare Mary.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "nans",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "nan (plural nans)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with obsolete senses"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Synonym of maid: a servant girl."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "maid",
          "maid#English"
        ],
        [
          "servant",
          "servant"
        ],
        [
          "girl",
          "girl"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(obsolete) Synonym of maid: a servant girl."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "extra": "a servant girl",
          "tags": [
            "synonym",
            "synonym-of"
          ],
          "word": "maid"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "obsolete"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English slang",
        "English terms with obsolete senses"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Synonym of nancy: an effeminate male homosexual."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "nancy",
          "nancy#English"
        ],
        [
          "effeminate",
          "effeminate"
        ],
        [
          "male",
          "male"
        ],
        [
          "homosexual",
          "homosexual"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(slang, obsolete) Synonym of nancy: an effeminate male homosexual."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "extra": "an effeminate male homosexual",
          "tags": [
            "synonym",
            "synonym-of"
          ],
          "word": "nancy"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "obsolete",
        "slang"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "British English",
        "English endearing terms"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Synonym of nursemaid."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "endearing",
          "endearing"
        ],
        [
          "nursemaid",
          "nursemaid#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(UK, endearing) Synonym of nursemaid."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "tags": [
            "synonym",
            "synonym-of"
          ],
          "word": "nursemaid"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "endearing"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "Australian English",
        "British English",
        "Canadian English",
        "English endearing terms",
        "English terms with usage examples",
        "Irish English"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              10,
              13
            ]
          ],
          "text": "We had my nan over for Christmas dinner.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Synonym of grandmother."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "endearing",
          "endearing"
        ],
        [
          "grandmother",
          "grandmother#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(British, Ireland, Australia, Canada, endearing) Synonym of grandmother."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "tags": [
            "synonym",
            "synonym-of"
          ],
          "word": "grandmother"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Australia",
        "British",
        "Canada",
        "Ireland",
        "endearing"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/næn/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-nan.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/5/5b/En-us-nan.ogg/En-us-nan.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/En-us-nan.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-æn"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "NaN"
    }
  ],
  "word": "nan"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English clippings",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English eponyms",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English palindromes",
    "Pages with 28 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "en:Female family members",
    "en:LGBTQ",
    "en:Occupations"
  ],
  "etymology_number": 2,
  "etymology_text": "See at naan.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "nans",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "nan (plural nans)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "word": "naan"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              141,
              144
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2002, Desmond Barry, A Bloody Good Friday, page 157:",
          "text": "Gerry ordered poppadoms and parathas and then he was interrupted by requests for vindaloos, chicken madrases and sag joshes, rice, raita and nan, from Priest, Morgan and Maria Grazia.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Alternative spelling of naan"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "naan",
          "naan#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "alt-of",
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/næn/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/nɑːn/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/næn/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/nɑn/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "nan"
}

Download raw JSONL data for nan meaning in English (4.2kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-06-05 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-06-01 using wiktextract (5ee713e and f1c2b61). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.