- noctiluca[noctiluca 词源字典]
- "A roughly spherical marine dinoflagellate which is strongly phosphorescent, especially when disturbed", Modern Latin, from Latin, literally 'night light, lantern'.[noctiluca etymology, noctiluca origin, 英语词源]
- noctilucent cloud
- "A luminous cloud of a kind occasionally seen at night in summer in high latitudes, at the altitude of the mesopause", Late 19th century: from Latin nox, noct- 'night' + lucere 'to shine' + -ent.
- ninja
- "A person skilled in the Japanese art of ninjutsu", Japanese, literally 'spy'.
- nobble
- "Try to influence or thwart by underhand or unfair methods", Mid 19th century: probably a variant of dialect knobble, knubble 'knock, strike with the knuckles'.
- notum
- "(In an insect) the tergum or dorsal exoskeleton of the thorax", Late 19th century: from Greek nōton 'back'.
- nycthemeron
- "A period of twenty-four hours, consisting of a day and a night", Late 17th cent.; earliest use found in Henry More (1614–1687), philosopher, poet, and theologian. From Hellenistic Greek νυχθήμερον period of a day and a night, use as noun of neuter singular of νυχθήμερος lasting for a day and a night from ancient Greek νυκτ-, νύξ night + ἡμέρα day.
- nepotal
- "Of, relating to, of the nature of, or characteristic of a nephew or nephews", Mid 19th cent.; earliest use found in Edward Bulwer-Lytton (1803–1873), writer and politician. Probably from classical Latin nepōt-, nepōs + -al, although compare nepote.
- nutrify
- "Provide with nutrients; nourish", Late 15th century: from Latin nutrire 'nourish'.
- numinal
- "Divine", Mid 17th cent.; earliest use found in Owen Felltham (?1602–1668), essayist and poet. From classical Latin nūmin-, nūmen numen + -al.
- navarch
- "The commander of a fleet, an admiral; specifically the chief admiral of the Spartans", Early 19th cent.; earliest use found in William Mitford (1744–1827), historian of ancient Greece. From ancient Greek ναύαρχος commander of a fleet, admiral, specifically the chief admiral of the Spartans from ναῦς ship + -αρχος.
- nubecula
- " Astronomy . In form Nubecula. (The name of) either of the Magellanic Clouds", Late 17th cent.; earliest use found in Robert Hooke (1635–1703), natural philosopher. From classical Latin nūbēcula a small cloud, a cloud-like cluster of stars, a cloudy area in urine, a film in the eye from nūbēs cloud + -cula.
- Nearctic
- "Relating to or denoting a zoogeographical region comprising North America as far south as northern Mexico, together with Greenland", Mid 19th century: from neo- 'new' + Arctic.
- navaid
- "A navigational device in an aircraft, ship, or other vehicle", 1950s: from navigational aid.
- nomadical
- "Characteristic of a nomad; itinerant", Late 18th cent.; earliest use found in The Annual Register. From ancient Greek νομαδικός nomadic + -al.
- nepotic
- "Tending to, characterized by, or of the nature of nepotism", Mid 19th cent.; earliest use found in The Lancet. From classical Latin nepōt-, nepōs + -ic, after nepotism.
- neoglacial
- "Of or relating to the process or an episode of neoglaciation", 1960s; earliest use found in American Journal of Science. From neo- + glacial.
- nomadize
- "To lead a nomadic life; to live as a nomad", Late 18th cent.; earliest use found in William Tooke (bap. 1744, d. 1820), writer and translator. From nomad + -ize.
- non-elastic
- "Not elastic, lacking in elasticity, inelastic. Also figurative : inflexible, fixed on a purpose", Early 18th cent.; earliest use found in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. From non- + elastic.
- nogoodnik
- "A good-for-nothing; a villain, a petty criminal", 1930s; earliest use found in S. J. Perelman (b. 1904), humorist. From no-good + -nik, perhaps ultimately after Russian negodnik a good-for-nothing.
- nubiferous
- "That brings clouds; cloudy or full of cloud; existing in clouds", Mid 17th cent.; earliest use found in Thomas Blount (1618–1679), antiquary and lexicographer. From classical Latin nūbifer that brings clouds (from nūbēs cloud + -fer) + -ous; compare -ferous.