Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

nest

/nɛst/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.07 in modern English

Syllables: nest
IPA: /nɛst/

4

Scrabble Score

4

Letters

1

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A structure built by a bird as a place to incubate eggs and rear young.

noun

A place used by a mammal, fish, amphibian or insect, for depositing eggs and hatching young.

noun

A snug, comfortable, or cosy residence or job situation.

noun

A retreat, or place of habitual resort.

noun

A hideout for bad people to frequent or haunt; a den.

noun

A home that a child or young adult shares with a parent or guardian.

noun

A fixed number of cards in some bidding games awarded to the highest bidder allowing him to exchange any or all with cards in his hand.

noun

A fortified position for a weapon.

Example Sentences

"a nest of thieves"
"That nightclub is a nest of strange people!"
"Capt. Kirby and I concluding it might be of great Service to the Eaſt-India Company to deſtroy such a Neſt of Rogues, were ready to ſail for that Purpoſe […]"
"Miss Carpenter told me that a short time previously some Bow Street constables had been sent down to this place to ferret out a crime which had been committed there, and that they reported there was not in all London such a nest of wickedness as they had explored."
"I am aspiring to leave the nest."
"I was forced to change trumps when I found the ace, jack, and nine of diamonds in the nest."

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁en-? Proto-Indo-European *ní Proto-Indo-European *sed- Proto-Indo-European *-ós Proto-Indo-European *nisdós Proto-Germanic *nestą Proto-West Germanic *nest Old English nest Middle English nest English nest From Middle English nest, nist, nyst, from Old English nest, from Proto-West Germanic *nest, from Proto-Germanic *nestą, from Proto-Indo-European *nisdós (“nest”), literally "where [the bird] sits down", a compound of *ni (“down”) (whence also English nether) + the zero-grade of the root *sed- (“to sit”) (whence also English sit).

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: nest, *nest, *nestą, *nisdós, nesten, nistan

Usage

Inflected Forms

nests (plural) nests (present, singular) nesting (participle, present) nested (participle, past) nested (past) Nist (alternative)

Derived Forms

birdsnest clapnest crowsnest denest disnest hangnest mudnester nestage nestbuilding nestcam nestful nesthole

Phrases

ant nest beetle bird in a nest bird-nest bird's nest bird's nest cut bird's-nest fern bird's nest fungus bird's-nest orchid

Frequently Paired Words

nestling Nest in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)

Synonyms

beav beaver cuddle snuggle nestle nuzzle draw close

Rhymes With

best west rest test request suggest guest arrest chest expressed dressed breast

Questions

How do you pronounce nest?: The recorded pronunciation is /nɛst/.
What does nest mean?: A structure built by a bird as a place to incubate eggs and rear young.
Where does nest come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce nest

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