a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter N.
a female given name.
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.
see nanny ; compare Greek nanna aunt, Medieval Latin nonna old woman
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Before the pandemic, China's burgeoning middle class produced plenty of first-time high-end buyers, said Lisa Nan, editor at Jing Daily, a publication that focuses on China's luxury market.
From Barron's • May 27, 2026
At a public hearing last month, Nan Trout, who lives near the beach, presented the committee with a long list of reasons to keep the ban in place.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026
And Nan Goldin has been on both sides of that spectrum and lived to tell the tale.
From Salon • Mar. 14, 2026
There will be full live Sportsound commentary of both qualifiers on BBC Radio Scotland, Radio Nan Gaidheal and BBC Sounds.
From BBC • Oct. 9, 2025
Nan picked up one advertising “10 great looks with one easy pattern!” and said, “It’s like an envelope full of options. You want it?”
From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
