nona
1 Americannoun
combining form
Usage
What does nona- mean? Nona- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “nine” or “ninth.” It is used in a number of scientific and other technical terms. In chemistry, nona- is specifically used to indicate nine atoms or nine groups of atoms in compounds, e.g., nonapeptide. Nona- comes from the Latin nōnus, meaning “ninth.” The word noon also derives from the Latin nōna hōra, the “ninth hour” from sunrise. That means 12 o’clock noon was originally 3 p.m!The Greek word for “nine” is ennéa, source of the combining form ennea-, which you can learn more about in our Words That Use article for the form. What are variants of nona-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, nona- becomes non-, as in nonyl alcohol. However, in a great many more instances, the letters non- at the beginning of a word are the prefix non-, meaning "not," as in nonabrasive or nonacademic.
Etymology
Origin of nona
< Latin nōna ( hōra ) ninth (hour); i.e., late stage in life of patient
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
At the time work by Mr. Cattelan — later notorious for his 1999 sculpture of Pope John Paul II struck by a meteorite, “La nona ora” — was selling for a few hundred dollars.
From New York Times • Sep. 7, 2010
A hiki i ka manawa i kauohaia nona e hele aku i kahi o kona kaikuahine.
From The Hawaiian Romance Of Laieikawai by Beckwith, Martha Warren
I aku ke Alii i kona mau Luna, "E wehe i ke kapa o ke kupapau, a kau aku iluna o ka lele i hoomakaukauia nona."
From The Hawaiian Romance Of Laieikawai by Beckwith, Martha Warren
A ma ka malamalama loa ana ae, ua weheia ka puka o ka hale nona, a hele aku la oia me kona ike oleia mai.
From The Hawaiian Romance Of Laieikawai by Beckwith, Martha Warren
Ninau aku la o Hinaikamalama i ka mea nona ka aha lealea, haiia mai la no Hauailiki me Makeweli.
From The Hawaiian Romance Of Laieikawai by Beckwith, Martha Warren
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.