Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

not

/nɑt/

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: Zipf frequency 6.69 in modern English

Syllables
not
IPA
/nɑt/
3
Scrabble Score
3
Letters
1
Syllables
3
Unique Chars

Meaning

adv

Negates the meaning of the modified verb.

adv

To no degree.

adv

Used to indicate the opposite or near opposite, often in a form of understatement.

adv

Used before a determiner phrase, a pronominal phrase etc. to convey a negative attitude (e.g. denial, sadness, anger) towards something.

adv

Used before a non-finite clause (especially a gerund-participial clause) or less commonly a determiner phrase to ironically convey some attitude (e.g. surprise, incredulity, amusement, or embarrassment) towards something.

Informal

conj

And not.

intj

Used to indicate that the previous phrase was meant sarcastically or ironically.

Slang

noun

An instance of using the word “not”; a negation or denial.

Example Sentences

Etymology

Etymology tree 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 From Middle English not, nat, a variant of noght, naht (“not, nothing”), from Old English *nōht, nāht (“nought, nothing”), shortening of nōwiht, nāwiht (“nothing”, literally “not anything”), from Proto-West Germanic *naiwwiht, corresponding to ne (“not”) + ōwiht, āwiht (“anything”), corresponding to ā (“ever, always”) + wiht (“thing, creature”). Cognate with Scots nat, naucht (“not”), Saterland Frisian nit (“not”), West Frisian net (“not”), Dutch niet (“not”), German nicht (“not”). Compare nought, naught and aught. More at no, wight, whit.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: not,nat, *nōht,nāht, *naiwwiht

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /nɑt/
  • British English: /nɒt/

Usage

Inflected Forms

not! (canonical) nots (plural) Nut (alternative) Nunut (alternative) Nenet (alternative) Nuit (alternative)

Derived Forms

astronot injucundity notness notpology notspot notwheat whatnot wherenot NAND NOR XNOR

Phrases

could not get elected dogcatcher not again not a word Not-Deer not dog not-for-profit not necessarily not-self

Frequently Paired Words

ain't aren't cannot can't daren't didn't doesn't don't

Synonyms

I don't think psych bender ¬ ! ~ ˈ non

Homonyms

knot (cot–caught merger) naught nought

Rhymes With

got lot shot hot bought caught spot scott forgot plot pot slot

Questions

How do you pronounce not?
The recorded pronunciation is /nɑt/.
What does not mean?
Negates the meaning of the modified verb.
Where does not come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce not

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “not”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/nɑt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “not”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “not” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.