English word origin

Etymology of nu

From Ancient Greek νῦ (nû), name for the letter of the Greek alphabet Ν (N) and ν (n).

3 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 3 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

noun

The letter of the Greek alphabet Ν (N) and ν (n). · A measure of constringence in lenses or prisms.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Ancient Greek νῦ (nû), name for the letter of the Greek alphabet Ν (N) and ν (n).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Derivation mentionνῦgrc

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "grc",
        "3": "νῦ"
      },
      "expansion": "Ancient Greek νῦ (nû)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "νῦ",
      "νῦ#Ancient_Greek"
    ],
    [
      "Ν",
      "Ν#Greek"
    ],
    [
      "ν",
      "ν#Greek"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "The letter of the Greek alphabet Ν (N) and ν (n).",
        "A measure of constringence in lenses or prisms."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "recordId": "bcf017ab7eb9a72535bfff51606d3668389791e822f55af7409228fcc78b7397",
      "rawRecordSha256": "64d83533d249e80422a5afb799d1104efcd66011f613161f4d431b861f1c283a",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 2357
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

intj

An exclamation of surprise, emphasis, doubt, etc. · Well? (Used as a question to demand an answer from someone reluctant to answer.)

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Borrowed from Yiddish נו (nu). Doublet of now.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Borrowed-form mentionנוyi

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "yi",
        "3": "נו"
      },
      "expansion": "Yiddish נו (nu)"
    },
    {
      "name": "dbt",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "now"
      },
      "expansion": "Doublet of now"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "נו",
      "נו#Yiddish"
    ],
    [
      "now",
      "now#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "intj",
      "glosses": [
        "An exclamation of surprise, emphasis, doubt, etc.",
        "Well? (Used as a question to demand an answer from someone reluctant to answer.)"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Jewish"
      ],
      "recordId": "da9e24e5cf153ef65715496dd1f488041e76984f9fc62470c5a30fdb262a260e",
      "rawRecordSha256": "0c6dd09f5cf0ab16edc504e82a3a8fe05e2840130c846c52d5c51f84cf0707a6",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 2358
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗

adj

new

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Phonetic respelling of new.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [],
  "links": [
    [
      "new",
      "new#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "adj",
      "glosses": [
        "new"
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "8d5973f80b0a9c6e34278c021fbfc34ac1307d7a8fc581ffa8a422383b09e66d",
      "rawRecordSha256": "0b3652bb4f456efb6674e454b56f90f97749c252f069aa1666a00a92bc7766f7",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 2359
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for nu →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-bnU