Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

gnu

/ɡəˈnuː/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.04 in modern English

Syllables: gnu
IPA: /ɡəˈnuː/

4

Scrabble Score

3

Letters

1

Syllables

3

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Abbreviation of government of national unity.

name

The Free Software Foundation's project to develop a free UNIX-like operating system, including the legal framework, such as the source code and documentation licenses.

noun

A large antelope of the genus Connochaetes, native to Africa, having curved horns.

Example Sentences

"This scenario would hark back to the post-apartheid era when South Africa operated under a GNU to oversee the new constitution, led by Mandela as president and FW de Klerk and Thabo Mbeki as deputy presidents, between April 1994 and February 1997."

Etymology

Etymology tree ▲ English GNU Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Germanic *ne Proto-West Germanic *ne Proto-Indo-European *h₂ey- Proto-Indo-European *-u Proto-Indo-European *h₂óyu Proto-Indo-European *-osinflu. Proto-Germanic *aiwaz Proto-West Germanic *aiw univ. Proto-West Germanic *naiw Proto-Indo-European *wekʷ- Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *wékʷtisder.? Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ- Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *wéǵʰtisder.? Proto-Germanic *wihtą Proto-West Germanic *wiht Proto-West Germanic *naiwwiht Old English nāwiht Old English *nōht Middle English nought Middle English not English not Proto-Indo-European *mel-der. Proto-Indo-European *ml̥tós? Proto-Italic *moltos Latin multi- Proto-Indo-European *pel-der.? Latin -plex Latin multiplexlbor. English multiplexed Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Proto-Italic *en Proto-Italic *en- Latin in- Ancient Greek μορφή (morphḗ)der.? Latin fōrma Latin fōrmō Latin īnfōrmō Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Late Latin īnfōrmātiōder. Middle English enformacioun English information Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- Latin putus Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin putō Latin computō Latin computārelbor. French computerbor. English computing Proto-Indo-European *ser-der.? Proto-Italic *serwos Latin servus Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ia Latin -itia Latin servitiumbor. Old French servisebor. Old English serfis Middle English servise English service English Multiplexed Information and Computing Service English Multics ▲ English eunuchinflu. English Unix English gnuinflu. English GNU's not Unixacronym English GNU Coined by Richard Stallman in 1983 as a recursive acronym for “GNU's Not Unix”, following convention of naming programs similar to or inspired by existing programs as “(New Name) Is Not (Old Name)”; compare Xinu. Specifically influenced by lack of English words of form ?nu (“?NU is Not Unix”), that gnu is the alphabetically first (and in fact only) English word of the form ?nu (“?’s Not Unix”), that gnu was perceived as a humorous word, and the existence of the song “The Gnu”.

Origin

Source language: Dutch

Word Breakdown

Root: gnoe, ǃnu:

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /nuː/
British English: /njuː/

Inflected Forms

GNUs (plural)

Derived Forms

GNU/Linux

Phrases

GNU FDL GNU GPL gnu goat

Frequently Paired Words

GNU

Synonyms

wildebeest

Homonyms

gnu (one pronunciation) new nu knew GNU (UK)

Rhymes With

to you do who to-do new two too through few true due

Questions

How do you pronounce gnu?: The recorded pronunciation is /ɡəˈnuː/.
What does gnu mean?: Abbreviation of government of national unity.
Where does gnu come from?: It is traced to Dutch.

How to pronounce gnu

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “gnu”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ɡəˈnuː/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “gnu”.
Repeat and practice — Say “gnu” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.