naan

American  

[nahn] / nɑn /

Sometimes nan

noun

1. a leavened, often tear-shaped flatbread from South Asia, baked in a tandoor.

2. Sometimes non any of various leavened, oven-baked flatbreads from Central and Southeast Asia.

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naan British  

/ nɑːn /

noun

1. another name for nan bread

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Etymology

Origin of naan

First recorded in 1820–30; from Hindi, Urdu nān, from Persian nān

Explanation

Naan is a slightly puffy flatbread. Be sure to order some extra naan when you get takeout from your favorite Indian restaurant! Naan comes from the Persian nān, "bread" or "food." This leavened flatbread is typically pulled into in a long oval or teardrop shape and cooked on a grill or in a clay oven. You can find this kind of bread in many parts of the world, but it plays an especially large role in the food of the Indian subcontinent. Naan is commonly used to scoop up curries and stews and is sometimes baked with savory fillings.

Example Sentences

You can even eat it as a spread on naan.

From Salon • Mar. 28, 2026

The naan selection alone is worth exploring, ranging from classic plain and garlic cilantro to more adventurous versions like goat cheese with togarashi and black truffle with fleur de sel.

From Salon • Mar. 7, 2026

Fragrant basmati rice and a generous basket of naan rounded out the meal.

From Salon • Mar. 7, 2026

"The naan is India's glorious culinary gift to the world," he adds.

From BBC • Dec. 29, 2025

He’d carve notches on our stick with his knife, one notch for each loaf of naan he’d pull for us from the tandoor s roaring flames.

From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini