nan
nan Lexical Profile
nan Game Scores & Validity
• noun
British An affectionate and informal term for a grandmother.
"I am going to visit my nan this weekend for Sunday roast and a cup of tea."
A type of leavened, oven-baked or tawa-fried flatbread native to India, Central Asia, and the Middle East, often brushed with ghee and garlic.
"We ordered a large bowl of chicken tikka masala with garlic nan on the side."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to the traditional Asian flatbread, the word is more commonly spelled 'naan'. In computing contexts, it may appear as 'NaN' (Not a Number).
• Rhymes for nan
Word Origin & Etymology
As an affectionate term for a grandmother, it originated in the 20th century as a childish shortening of 'nanny' or 'gran'. As a type of bread, it derives from the Persian word 'nān', meaning 'bread' or 'food'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.