# nod

> English word · Verb · IPA /nɒd/ · frequency rank #10,582

## Definitions
1. To incline the head up and down, as to indicate agreement.
2. To briefly incline the head downwards as a cursory greeting.
3. To sway, move up and down.
4. To gradually fall asleep.
5. To signify by a nod.
6. To make a mistake by being temporarily inattentive or tired
7. To head; to strike the ball with one's head.
8. To allude to something.
9. To fall asleep while under the influence of opiates.

## Etymology
From Middle English nodden, probably from an unrecorded Old English *hnodian (“to nod, shake the head”), from Proto-West Germanic *hnodōn, from Proto-Germanic *hnudōną (“to beat, rivet, pound, push”), from Proto-Indo-European *kendʰ-, from *ken- (“to scratch, scrape, rub”). Compare Old High German hnotōn (“to shake”), hnutten (“to shake, rattle, vibrate”) (> modern dialectal German notteln, nütteln (“to rock, move back and forth”)), Faroese njóða (“to clench a nail”), Icelandic hnjóða (“to rivet, clinch”), Faroese noða (“to double by bending”), Icelandic hnoða (“to clinch, rivet”).

## Easily confused with
- **NZ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nod-vs-nz)
- **NT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nod-vs-nt)
- **NP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nod-vs-np)
- **nu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nod-vs-nu)
- **nr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nod-vs-nr)
- **not** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nod-vs-not)
- **now** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nod-vs-now)
- **non** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nod-vs-non)
- **nor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nod-vs-nor)
- **nov** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nod-vs-nov)
- **NYC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nod-vs-nyc)
- **nut** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nod-vs-nut)
- **NSA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nod-vs-nsa)
- **NSW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nod-vs-nsw)
- **nun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nod-vs-nun)
- **nos** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nod-vs-nos)
- **NPR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nod-vs-npr)
- **NRA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nod-vs-nra)
- **nye** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nod-vs-nye)
- **NYT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nod-vs-nyt)

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