This list includes 61 Simple words that start with N, from “nail” to “nut”. They are common, short everyday nouns, verbs, and adjectives useful for teaching, ESL, early reading, and content creation.
Simple words that start with N are common, high-frequency words learners encounter early in speech and reading. For example, “no” and “now” appear very often in everyday conversation.
Below you’ll find the table with the columns: Word, Definition, Part of speech, and Etymology.
Word: The written entry in alphabetical order; you can use it for spelling, flashcards, and reading practice.
Definition: A short, clear meaning in about 10–20 words that helps you explain usage and aid quick comprehension.
Part of speech: Indicates how the word functions in a sentence so you can choose correct grammar and examples.
Etymology: A one-line origin note showing language roots or borrowings to give cultural or memory context.
Simple words that start with N
| Word | Part of speech | Syllables | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| nail | noun | 1 | Old English |
| name | noun | 1 | Old English |
| nap | noun | 1 | Old English |
| napkin | noun | 2 | Old English/Dutch |
| narrow | adjective | 2 | Old English |
| near | preposition | 1 | Old English |
| nearby | adverb | 2 | Old English |
| nearly | adverb | 2 | Old English |
| neat | adjective | 1 | Old English |
| need | verb | 1 | Old English |
| needle | noun | 2 | Old English |
| negative | adjective | 3 | Latin/French |
| neighbor | noun | 2 | Old English |
| neither | conjunction | 2 | Old English |
| nerve | noun | 1 | Latin/Old French |
| nervous | adjective | 2 | Latin/Old French |
| nest | noun | 1 | Old English |
| net | noun | 1 | Old English |
| neat | adjective | 1 | Old English |
| never | adverb | 2 | Old English |
| new | adjective | 1 | Old English |
| news | noun | 1 | Old English/Old French |
| next | adjective | 1 | Old English |
| nice | adjective | 1 | Old French/Latin |
| night | noun | 1 | Old English |
| nine | noun | 1 | Old English |
| ninety | noun | 2 | Old English/Old Norse |
| nod | verb | 1 | Old English |
| noise | noun | 1 | Old English |
| noisy | adjective | 2 | Old English |
| none | pronoun | 1 | Old English |
| noon | noun | 1 | Old English |
| nor | conjunction | 1 | Old English |
| normal | adjective | 2 | Latin/French |
| north | noun | 1 | Old English |
| nose | noun | 1 | Old English |
| not | adverb | 1 | Old English |
| note | noun | 1 | Latin/Old French |
| notice | verb | 2 | Old French/Latin |
| nothing | pronoun | 2 | Old English |
| now | adverb | 1 | Old English |
| nowhere | adverb | 2 | Old English |
| number | noun | 2 | Old French/Latin |
| nurse | noun | 1 | Old French/Latin |
| nut | noun | 1 | Old English |
| nibble | verb | 2 | Old English |
| nine | noun | 1 | Old English |
| neat | adjective | 1 | Old English |
| neighbor | noun | 2 | Old English |
| natural | adjective | 3 | Latin/French |
| nature | noun | 2 | Latin/French |
| nonsense | noun | 2 | Old French/Latin |
| navy | noun | 2 | Old French/Latin |
| novel | noun | 2 | Latin |
| notice | noun | 2 | Old French/Latin |
| normal | noun | 2 | Latin/French |
| northward | adverb | 2 | Old English |
| narrowly | adverb | 3 | Old English |
| natty | adjective | 2 | Unknown/colloquial |
| nickel | noun | 2 | Old English/Old German |
| nurture | verb | 2 | Latin/French |
Descriptions
nail
Hard cover at finger tip or a small metal spike; common everyday word.
name
Word used to identify a person, place, animal, or thing.
nap
A short sleep taken during the day to rest and refresh.
napkin
Small cloth or paper used at meals to wipe hands and mouth.
narrow
Not wide; describes a small distance from one side to the other.
near
Indicates closeness in space, time, or relationship.
nearby
Close in place; not far away.
nearly
Almost; used to show something is close to happening or being true.
neat
Tidy, orderly, or well arranged.
need
To require something that is necessary or important.
needle
Thin metal tool for sewing or a pine tree leaf.
negative
Showing refusal or absence; used to say “no” or opposite of positive.
neighbor
A person who lives near your home.
neither
Used to join two negative choices or to reject both things mentioned.
nerve
Part of the body that sends signals or courage to face things.
nervous
Feeling worried or anxious about something.
nest
A home birds make to hold eggs and baby birds.
net
Material made of threads with holes, used to catch things.
neat
Tidy, orderly, or well arranged.
never
At no time; used to say something does not happen.
new
Recently made, found, or acquired; not old.
news
Information about recent events reported by media or people.
next
Coming immediately after in time, order, or place.
nice
Pleasant, friendly, or enjoyable; simple positive word.
night
The time of darkness between sunset and sunrise.
nine
The number after eight and before ten.
ninety
The number equal to nine times ten; common number word.
nod
To move the head up and down to show agreement or sleepiness.
noise
A sound that is often loud, unpleasant, or distracting.
noisy
Making a lot of sound; loud or distracting.
none
Not any; no part or no one of a group.
noon
Midday; twelve o’clock in the daytime.
nor
Used to introduce a second negative idea after “neither” or “not.”
normal
Usual or expected; what is common or regular.
north
One of the four main compass directions; opposite of south.
nose
The part of the face used for smelling and breathing.
not
A simple word used to make a sentence negative.
note
A short written message or a single musical sound.
notice
To see, hear, or become aware of something; to pay attention.
nothing
No single thing; the absence of anything.
now
At the present moment; immediately.
nowhere
Not in any place; no place at all.
number
A symbol or word showing amount, order, or count.
nurse
Person who cares for sick people or helps with health.
nut
A hard-shelled seed that you can eat or a small metal fastener.
nibble
To eat something in small bites; gentle biting action.
nine
The number after eight and before ten.
neat
Tidy, well-kept, or cleverly simple.
neighbor
Person who lives near you; often used in simple community lessons.
natural
Not made by humans; belonging to nature or the world.
nature
Plants, animals, weather, and the outdoors; the physical world.
nonsense
Words or ideas that do not make sense; silly or foolish talk.
navy
A country’s group of ships or people who serve at sea.
novel
A long story; a book of imagined events and characters.
notice
A written or spoken message that tells or warns people.
normal
A usual state or condition; what people often expect.
northward
Toward the north; used to describe direction of movement.
narrowly
By a small amount or with little space to spare.
natty
Neat and smart in appearance; short, informal descriptive word.
nickel
A small coin or a metal element used in everyday objects.
nurture
To care for and help someone or something grow.