# nerve

> English word · Noun · IPA /nɝv/ · frequency rank #5,237

## Definitions
1. A bundle of neurons with their connective tissue sheaths, blood vessels and lymphatics.
2. A neuron.
3. A vein in a leaf; a grain in wood.
4. Courage; boldness; audacity; gall.
5. Patience; stamina; endurance, fortitude.
6. One's neural structures considered collectively as, and conceptually equated with, one's psyche.
7. Mental agitation caused by fear, stress or other negative emotions.
8. The elastic resistance of raw rubber or other polymers to permanent deformation during processing.
9. Sinew, tendon.

## Etymology
Recorded since circa 1374 as Middle English nerve, from Medieval Latin nervus (“nerve”), from Latin nervus (“sinew”). Doublet of neuron and sinew.
Verb verb sense 4 is chiefly a semantic loan from German nerven.

## Easily confused with
- **neve** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nerve-vs-neve)
- **Neva** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nerve-vs-neva)
- **never** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nerve-vs-never)
- **nurse** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nerve-vs-nurse)
- **Norse** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nerve-vs-norse)
- **nerves** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nerve-vs-nerves)
- **nee** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nee-vs-nerve)
- **ner** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ner-vs-nerve)
- **nerd** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nerd-vs-nerve)
- **Nero** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nero-vs-nerve)
- **nave** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nave-vs-nerve)
- **nene** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nene-vs-nerve)
- **nerf** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nerf-vs-nerve)
- **naive** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/naive-vs-nerve)
- **NERDS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nerds-vs-nerve)
- **nerdy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nerdy-vs-nerve)
- **Neale** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/neale-vs-nerve)

## Common misspellings (6)
`enrve`, `nerev`, `nerrve`, `nervve`, `nnerve`, `nreve`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/nerve