nine

Definition

A numerical value equal to 9; the number following eight and preceding ten.

Etymology

PIE word *h₁néwn̥ From Middle English nyne, nine, from Old English nigon (“nine”), from Proto-West Germanic *neun, from Proto-Germanic *newun (“nine”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁néwn̥ (“nine”). Cognate with Scots neen, nine (“nine”), Saterland Frisian njúgen (“nine”), West Frisian njoggen (“nine”), Dutch negen (“nine”), German Low German negen (“nine”), German neun (“nine”), Danish ni (“nine”), Swedish nio (“nine”), Icelandic níu (“nine”), Gothic 𐌽𐌹𐌿𐌽 (niun, “nine”), Latin novem (“nine”), Ancient Greek ἐννέα (ennéa, “nine”), Sanskrit नव (náva, “nine”).

Example Sentences

• "Would they want me to vote my conscience or would they want us to unanimously go the whole nine yards, declare him sane and possibly have the trial end up in a death sentence?"
• "Of course, for a number to have a biography, we need to assume that none of its digits are present more than nine times."
• "Tamunowari Tetenta, a 20-year-old mechanical engineering student, says he has attempted to register for his NIN on nine different occasions in Port Harcourt, a city southeast of Lagos."

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