nine

NYN/naɪn/

Noun pluralnines

6 meanings of nine

1
numeral
The number 9, which comes after eight and before ten, or a group of nine things.
Can you count from one to nine?
My little brother turns nine next week.
UsageWrite ninth with no e, but ninety with an e.
2
written figurenouncountable
The written symbol 9, used when writing numbers.
Write a nine in the empty box.
His phone number has two nines in it.
3
playing cardnouncountable
A playing card marked with 9 small shapes that show its value.
He played a nine to win the round.
I drew the nine of hearts from the deck.
UsageSay the nine of hearts or a pair of nines.
Note

4
baseball teamnouncountable
A baseball team, made up of nine players on the field.
Our town's nine won the championship last summer.
He played for the local nine when he was young.
UsageOften the home nine or the visiting nine.
Similarteam, side, club
Note
5
handgunnounslangcountable
A small handgun that fires nine-millimeter bullets.
The officer carried a nine on his belt.
He kept a nine locked in the drawer.
Note
6
noun
A way to count the 9s in a number like 99.9%, showing how reliable or pure something is.

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The word "nine" comes from Old English "nigon", going back to an ancient root that also meant nine.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts

The word "nine" derives from Old English "nigon". en.wiktionary.org
Its ancestry includes an ancient root meaning nine, reconstructed as Proto-Indo-European *h₁néwn̥. en.wiktionary.org