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
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
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
Hoi aku la o Halaaniani, a kokoke i ka manawa i kauo haia nona, alaila, ala mai la oia a halawai me kona kaikuahine.
From The Hawaiian Romance Of Laieikawai by Beckwith, Martha Warren
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
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.