# nun

> English word · Noun · IPA /nʌn/ · frequency rank #12,289

## Definitions
1. A member of a Christian religious community of women who live by certain vows and usually wear a habit, (Roman Catholicism, specifically) those living together in a cloister.
2. A member of a similar female community in other confessions.
3. A prostitute.
4. A kind of pigeon with the feathers on its head like the hood of a nun.

## Etymology
From Middle English nonne, nunne, from Old English nunne (“nun”), from Late Latin nonna (“nun, tutor”), originally (along with masculine form nonnus (“man”)) a term of address for elderly persons, perhaps from children's speech, reminiscent of nana, like papa etc. Doublet of nonna.

## Easily confused with
- **NZ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nun-vs-nz)
- **NYC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nun-vs-nyc)
- **nut** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nun-vs-nut)
- **nye** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nun-vs-nye)
- **NYT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nun-vs-nyt)
- **NYU** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nun-vs-nyu)
- **Nur** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nun-vs-nur)
- **NWA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nun-vs-nwa)
- **Nyx** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nun-vs-nyx)
- **NWS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nun-vs-nws)
- **NWO** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nun-vs-nwo)
- **nya** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nun-vs-nya)
- **nuts** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nun-vs-nuts)
- **nuns** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nun-vs-nuns)
- **Nunez** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nun-vs-nunez)
- **n** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/n-vs-nun)
- **na** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/na-vs-nun)
- **NC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nc-vs-nun)
- **ne** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ne-vs-nun)
- **NJ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nj-vs-nun)

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