na

[ nah, nuh ]

/ nɑ, nə /

Chiefly Scot.

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adverb

no¹.

not; in no way; by no means.

conjunction

nor; neither.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of na

before 900; Middle English (north and Scots); in part representing Old English nā (n(e) not, nor + ā ever; cf. ay¹); in part variant of ne;cf. no¹

Words nearby na

Mzansi, mzee, mzungu, n, n-3 fatty acid, na, NAA, NAACP, Naafi, naan, naartjie

Other definitions for na (2 of 5)

Symbol, Chemistry.

sodium.

Origin of Na

From the New Latin word natrium

Other definitions for na (3 of 5)

abbreviation

not applicable.Also n/a

not available.

Other definitions for na (4 of 5)

n/a

abbreviation

no account.

not applicable.Also NA

not available.

Other definitions for na (5 of 5)

N.A.

abbreviation

National Army.

North America.

not applicable.

Microscopy. numerical aperture.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use na in a sentence

The old downtown is about five miles north of the Strip — but it’s still Las Vegas, in the state of — say it with me — na-VAA-da.
PLAYBACK (2015): Could the Next Brooklyn Be … Las Vegas?! (Ep. 205)|Stephen J. Dubner|December 6, 2020|Freakonomics
I think 2014 was my big rock and roll year, and 2015 is gonna be a really good year to hang around the house.
Deer Tick's John McCauley on Ten Years in Rock and Roll|James Joiner|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
She was gonna be in New York and wanted to hang around for New Years and hopefully be able to stay long enough to meet our baby.
Deer Tick's John McCauley on Ten Years in Rock and Roll|James Joiner|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
But when he heard “A Change Is Gonna Come,” he asked to hear it again.
How Martin Luther King Jr. Influenced Sam Cooke’s ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’|Peter Guralnick|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST

He was gonna join the fight, you know, really he was, got his ninja getup fitted and everything.
The Scared Widdle Kitty of ISIS|Jacob Siegel|December 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
No, we think, “Ugh, now who is gonna clean all the blood from the street!”
What It Feels Like For a Girl in Iraq|Noor|November 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I keep a good blunderbuss loaded over the door, an' thieves would na' find it an easy job to get in through these iron bars.
The World Before Them|Susanna Moodie
Conna-mara, in the west of Ireland, properly spelled Cuan na mara, means "bays of the sea."
Notes and Queries, Number 178, March 26, 1853|Various
Kapid-an na ka adlaw walà pa mahiulì ang amahan, For several days now, the father has not returned.
A Dictionary of Cebuano Visayan|John U. Wolff
Mubagrung ang awtu kun mupik-ap na, The car zooms the moment it picks up speed.
A Dictionary of Cebuano Visayan|John U. Wolff
Nagkapiskay na ang masakitun, The patient is getting stronger.
A Dictionary of Cebuano Visayan|John U. Wolff

British Dictionary definitions for na (1 of 5)

na¹

/ (nɑː) /

determiner

a variant of nae

British Dictionary definitions for na (2 of 5)

na²

the internet domain name for

Namibia

British Dictionary definitions for na (3 of 5)

the chemical symbol for

sodium

Word Origin for Na

Latin natrium

British Dictionary definitions for na (4 of 5)

abbreviation for

North America

Netherlands Antilles (international car registration)

British Dictionary definitions for na (5 of 5)

n/a

abbreviation for

not applicable

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for na

The symbol for sodium.