none
Noun pluralnones
Pluralnones
- 1Not one person or thing, or no part or amount of something.
Like an empty basket: there is not one thing in it.
She looked for clean cups but found none in the cupboard.
Of all the choices they offered, none seemed right to me.
UsageSay none of them; none of them is and none of them are are both fine.
Oppositeall
- 2Not at all, as in 'none the wiser' (no wiser) or 'none too happy' (not happy).
The teacher was none too happy about the mess on the floor.
The water was none too warm for swimming.
- 3A person who says they do not belong to any religion.
He is a none, so he does not attend any church.
Many young people today describe themselves as nones.
Note
Less common meanings
- 4No or not any, used mainly before words starting with a vowel or 'h'.
the foles toke their lampes, but toke none oyle with them.
1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt (Tyndale Bible)Here, none means no, so they took no oil with them.None lasses were in the dunces' row. If one had been there people would have looked at her and felt sorry but not boys.
2008, James Kelman, Kieron SmithHere, None means no, so there were no girls in that row.Similarno
Note
- 5A way of saying no or refusing something.
Note
- 6SayNOHNUS/noʊn/UK/nəʊn/The time just after midday, or the middle of the afternoon.
None of the day, is the third quarter of the day beginning at Noon and lasting till the Sun be gone half way towards setting.
1656, T. Blount, GlossographiaHere, None means the early afternoon, from noon until midafternoon.The last, which began at the middle of the Afternoon, i.e. at half the Time between Noon and Sun-setting, was called None, because it began at the Ninth Hour.
1706, L.E. Dupin, “v, 43”Here, None means the middle of the afternoon, between noon and sunset.Similarmidafternoon
Note
- 7Alternative form of nones. It means the ninth hour after sunrise, or the church prayer service held then.
Showing meanings only.
Practice
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Origins
From Old English nān, meaning "not one": a mix of "ne" (not) and "one."
Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts
- None derives from Old English nān, meaning 'not one'. en.wiktionary.org
- Old English nān combines ne ('not') and ān ('one'). en.wiktionary.org
From the earlier sense, because such people answer "none" about their religion; it also plays on the word "nun."
Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts
- The religious noun derives from the earlier sense of 'none', reflecting people's answers to questions about religion. wrap.warwick.ac.uk
- The religious noun also involves wordplay on 'nun'. wrap.warwick.ac.uk
English took this word from French "none". The French word came from Latin "nōna". In Latin it meant "ninth", and also "the ninth hour".
Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 4 facts
- English borrowed this word from French none. en.wiktionary.org
- French none came from Latin nōna. en.wiktionary.org
- Latin nōna meant ninth. en.wiktionary.org
- Latin nōna also meant the ninth hour. en.wiktionary.org