nub

or knub

[ nuhb ]
/ nʌb /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR nub ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the point, gist, or heart of something.
a knob or protuberance.
a lump or small piece: a nub of coal; a nub of pencil.
a small mass of fibers produced on a card, dyed brilliant colors, and introduced into yarn during the spinning process.

QUIZZES

DO YOU KNOW THIS VOCABULARY FROM "THE HANDMAID'S TALE"?

"The Handmaid's Tale" was required reading for many of us in school. Everyone else has probably watched the very popular and addictive TV show. Do you remember this vocabulary from the book, and do you know what these terms mean?
Question 1 of 10
decorum
the act of or need for making up one's mind.
dignified propriety of behavior, speech, dress, etc.
a company of singers, especially an organized group employed in church service.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of nub

1585–95; < Low German, Middle Low German knubbe; cf. knob

Words nearby nub

nu soul, nu-, nu-metal, nu-value, nuance, nub, nuba, nubain, nubbin, nubble, nubbly
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to nub

crux, upshot, heart, substance, meat, kernel, nitty-gritty, essence, point, pith, short, basic, nucleus, nubbin, node, knob, bulge, swelling, protuberance, lump

Example sentences from the Web for nub

British Dictionary definitions for nub

nub
/ (nʌb) /

noun

a small lump or protuberance
a small piece or chunk
the point or gistthe nub of a story
a small fibrous knot in yarn

Derived forms of nub

nubbly, adjective

Word Origin for nub

C16: variant of knub, from Middle Low German knubbe knob
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012