This list includes 60 Big words that start with N, from “nebulous” to “nutritional”. Most entries are polysyllabic, formal terms often drawn from Latin or Greek roots. You can use them in essays, speeches, creative writing, or vocabulary study.

Big words that start with N are advanced or formal terms with notable length and specific meanings. Many entered English through Latin and appear in classic literature and modern scholarship.

Below you’ll find the table with Word, Etymology, and Definition.

Word: The actual term in alphabetical order, so you can quickly spot words to use in writing or study.

Etymology: Brief origin information showing root language and morphemes, helping you understand word history and nuance.

Definition: Clear one-sentence meanings that state common usage, so you can apply words accurately in context.

Big words that start with N

Word Part of speech Syllables Etymology Description
nebulous adjective 3 Latin nebulosus, Late Latin Vague or cloud-like; formal adjective for indistinct ideas or descriptions, common in literary and academic prose.
nefarious adjective 4 Latin nefarius < nefas, Late Latin Wicked or criminal; strong pejorative, used in formal or literary criticism.
neologism noun 4 Greek neos + logos + -ism, 19th c A newly coined word or phrase; frequently used in linguistics and media contexts.
neophyte noun 3 Greek neophytos, late Greek A recent convert or beginner; formal but widely used in both secular and religious contexts.
neurasthenia noun 5 Greek neuron + asthenia, 19th c Historical diagnosis of nervous exhaustion; used in medical history or literary accounts.
neuroticism noun 4 Greek neuron + -tic + -ism, 19th c Personality trait marked by anxiety and emotional instability; psychological term common in social sciences.
neuropathy noun 4 Greek neuron + pathos, 19th c Disease or dysfunction of peripheral nerves; standard medical terminology.
nihilism noun 3 Latin nihil ‘nothing’ + -ism, 19th c Belief that life lacks objective meaning or values; philosophical term, often negative.
nihilistic adjective 4 Latin nihil + -istic, 19th c Pertaining to nihilism; used in philosophical, literary, and critical contexts.
nigrescence noun 3 Latin nigrescere ‘become black’, Medieval Latin The process of darkening; rare, used in scientific or poetic registers.
noctambulist noun 4 Latin noct- ‘night’ + ambulare, 18th c A sleepwalker; literary or slightly archaic term.
noctivagant adjective 4 Latin nocti- ‘night’ + vagari ‘wander’, 17th c Wandering about at night; rare, chiefly literary adjective.
nomenclature noun 4 Latin nomen ‘name’ + calare, Modern Latin System of names in a field; formal and technical usage, common in science.
nominalism noun 4 Late Latin nominalis + -ism, Medieval Philosophical doctrine denying independent universals; academic vocabulary.
nonagenarian noun 5 Latin nonaginta ‘ninety’, 19th c formation A person aged ninety to ninety‑nine; formal, demographic term.
nonchalant adjective 3 French nonchaloir, 19th c Calmly unconcerned or indifferent; conversational and literary register.
nonplussed adjective 3 Latin non + plus ‘not more’, 18th c Perplexed or bewildered; formal usage (often misused informally to mean unbothered).
nostalgia noun 3 Greek nostos ‘return’ + algos ‘pain’, 17th c Sentimental longing for the past; emotive term common in essays and memoirs.
notorious adjective 4 Latin notorius, Medieval Widely known, typically for something negative; common but emphatic.
novitiate noun 4 Latin noviciatus ‘state of a novice’, Medieval Latin The period or condition of being a novice, especially in religious orders; formal usage.
novelty noun 3 Latin novitas ‘newness’, 17th c The quality of being new or unusual; common in cultural and marketing contexts.
numinous adjective 3 Latin numen ‘divine power’, 20th c Having a mysterious, spiritual quality; high-register, often used in religion or literature.
numismatic adjective 4 Greek nomisma ‘coin’, 19th c Relating to coin collecting or currency; specialist term in history and collecting.
nugatory adjective 4 Latin nugatorius ‘worthless’, Medieval Latin Of no value or consequence; formal and somewhat literary rebuke.
nulliparous adjective 4 Latin nullus ‘none’ + parere ‘bear’, 19th c Having borne no offspring; medical and obstetric term.
nuncupative adjective 4 Latin nuncupare ‘to declare orally’, legal Latin Declared orally rather than written (esp. wills); chiefly legal and archaic.
nutraceutical noun 4 blend of nutrition + pharmaceutical, 20th c A food-derived product claiming health benefits; industry and marketing term.
nutritional adjective 4 Latin nutrire ‘nourish’, Modern English Relating to nutrition; common in health and science discourse.
noctilucent adjective 4 Latin nocti ‘night’ + lucent ‘shining’, 19th c Shining faintly at night (e.g., clouds); meteorological and scientific term.
nomothetic adjective 4 Greek nomos ‘law’ + thetikos, 20th c Aiming to establish general laws (esp. in social sciences); academic usage.
nosocomial adjective 4 Greek nosokomeion ‘hospital’, 19th c Originating in a hospital, especially infections; medical terminology.
nosology noun 4 Greek nosos ‘disease’ + -logy, 19th c Classification of diseases; technical term in medicine and epidemiology.
noumenon noun 3 Greek noein ‘to be known’, Kantian philosophy A thing-in-itself contrasted with appearance; philosophical and technical term.
novelistic adjective 4 Medieval Latin novellus ‘new’ + -istic, 19th c Pertaining to the novel as a genre; literary-critical usage.
neoclassical adjective 5 Greek neos ‘new’ + classical, 18th c Reviving classical styles in art, music, or architecture; art-historical term.
necropolis noun 4 Greek nekros ‘dead’ + polis ‘city’, 18th c A large cemetery, esp. ancient; archaeological and historical term.
necromancy noun 4 Greek nekros ‘dead’ + manteia ‘divination’, Medieval Divination by communicating with the dead; occult or literary usage.
neocortex noun 3 Greek neos ‘new’ + cortex ‘bark’, 20th c The part of mammalian brain responsible for higher cognition; neuroscience term.
neologize verb 4 Greek neos + logos + -ize, 19th c To coin or introduce a new word or expression; used in linguistics and creative writing.
neocolonial adjective 5 Greek neos + colonial, 20th c Relating to modern forms of colonial influence; political and historical term.
necrology noun 4 Greek nekros ‘dead’ + -logy, 17th c List or notice of deaths; formal/obituary usage.
neoteric adjective 3 Greek neoterikos ‘modern’, 19th c Modern or recent; literary and critical adjective.
neoteny noun 3 Greek neos ‘young’ + -teny, 20th c biology Retention of juvenile traits in adults; biological and evolutionary term.
neotenous adjective 4 Greek neos + -tenous, 20th c Exhibiting neoteny; used in biology and anthropology.
nephrology noun 4 Greek nephros ‘kidney’ + -logy, 19th c Medical specialty focused on kidneys; clinical and academic usage.
nepenthe noun 3 Greek nepenthes ‘without grief’, Classical A drug or thing that eases sorrow; literary and poetic usage.
nepotism noun 3 Latin nepos ‘nephew’, 17th c Favoritism toward relatives, esp. in employment; common in political and business critique.
neurasthenic adjective 4 Greek neuron + asthenia + -ic, 19th c Relating to neurasthenia; historical medical adjective.
neurodiversity noun 5 Greek neuron + diversity, 21st c Variation in neurological development; contemporary social and clinical concept.
neurophysiology noun 6 Greek neuron + physiologia, 19th c Study of nervous system function; scientific and medical field.
neuropharmacology noun 6 Greek neuron + pharmakon + -logy, 20th c Study of drugs acting on the nervous system; technical medical science.
neuropathology noun 6 Greek neuron + pathos + -logy, 19th c Study of diseases of the nervous system; specialized medical field.
neutropenia noun 5 Greek neuter ‘neutral’ + penia ‘deficiency’, 20th c An abnormally low neutrophil count; hematology term.
nephrolithiasis noun 6 Greek nephros ‘kidney’ + lithos ‘stone’, 19th c Formation of kidney stones; medical diagnosis term.
necrotizing adjective 4 Greek nekros ‘dead’ + -tize, 19th c Causing tissue death; used in medical descriptions (e.g., necrotizing fasciitis).
noetic adjective 3 Greek noesis ‘intellect’, philosophical Relating to intellectual or spiritual insight; philosophical and spiritual register.
nominalistic adjective 5 Late Latin nominalis + -istic, Medieval Pertaining to the doctrine of nominalism; academic and philosophical term.
nonconformist noun 4 Latin non + conformare, 17th c Someone who refuses to conform to established norms; historical and social term.
nonintervention noun 5 Latin non + interventio, 19th c Policy of refraining from interference; political and diplomatic vocabulary.
nonsequitur noun 4 Latin non sequitur ‘it does not follow’, Medieval Latin A statement that does not logically follow; used in logic and criticism.

Descriptions

nebulous
nefarious
neologism
neophyte
neurasthenia
neuroticism
neuropathy
nihilism
nihilistic
nigrescence
noctambulist
noctivagant
nomenclature
nominalism
nonagenarian
nonchalant
nonplussed
nostalgia
notorious
novitiate
novelty
numinous
numismatic
nugatory
nulliparous
nuncupative
nutraceutical
nutritional
noctilucent
nomothetic
nosocomial
nosology
noumenon
novelistic
neoclassical
necropolis
necromancy
neocortex
neologize
neocolonial
necrology
neoteric
neoteny
neotenous
nephrology
nepenthe
nepotism
neurasthenic
neurodiversity
neurophysiology
neuropharmacology
neuropathology
neutropenia
nephrolithiasis
necrotizing
noetic
nominalistic
nonconformist
nonintervention
nonsequitur
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