not
not Lexical Profile
not Game Scores & Validity
• adverb
Used with an auxiliary verb or 'be' to form the negative of a verb, clause, or sentence.
"She did not attend the conference yesterday because her flight was delayed."
Used to negate a specific word, phrase, or quantifier rather than the entire clause, or to express a moderate degree by negating an adjective or adverb.
"The instructions were not entirely clear to the new students."
Used as a short substitute for a negative clause following verbs of thinking, hoping, or believing.
"When asked if the library would close early, the clerk replied that she hoped not."
• noun
A unary logical operator or digital logic gate in Boolean algebra and electronics that inverts the truth value or binary state of its input.
"Passing a high voltage signal through a NOT gate produces a low output."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse with the homophone 'knot' (a fastening made by tying string or rope, or a unit of speed).
• Rhymes for not
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English not, a reduced unstressed form of nawiht or noht ('naught, nothing'), from Old English nāwiht, a compound of nā ('no, never') and wiht ('thing, creature, whit').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.