[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/nun/) [dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [N](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/n/) / nun # nun noun (a nun, nuns) «nun» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition and Early Modern English — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova. ## Everyday 1. (church) A nun is a woman who has promised to give her life to God and lives in a religious community called a convent, following rules of prayer and work. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nun/#m1) 2. (religion) Buddhist and some other religious traditions also have nuns. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nun/#m2) ### In the lessons In religious education nuns take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience; many teach, nurse or care for poor people. Some nuns wear a long dress and a veil called a habit. In stories like «The Sound of Music», Maria starts out as a young woman preparing to be a nun. Phrases: «become a nun», «a convent of nuns», «a nun's habit», «Sister Mary» (how nuns are called). ### Examples - The nuns ran a school for girls. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nun/#x1) - A nun is often called «Sister». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nun/#x2) - Mother Teresa was a nun who cared for the poor in India. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nun/#x3) - Some nuns wear a black and white habit. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nun/#x4) - The nuns pray together many times each day. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nun/#x5) - My great-aunt became a nun when she was young. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nun/#x6) - Buddhist nuns shave their heads and wear robes. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nun/#x7) - On the brow of the mountain yonder is perched, like a swallow's nest, a lonely convent of nuns. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nun/#x8) ### Note Countable: nuns. Homophone: «none» (not any) sounds the same. The male equivalent is a monk (or friar); the leader of a convent is an abbess or Mother Superior. ## In Jewish tradition In the Torah, "Joshua the son of Nun" is Moses' helper and later leader. Here "Nun" is a man's name, not a woman in a convent. **Interpretation.** The letter nun means "fish" and stands for the number 50. Tradition notes Joshua's father's name with the letter. ### Examples - And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun Joshua. (Torah NUM.13.16, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/N/nun/#x1) - Of the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Nun. (Torah NUM.13.8, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/N/nun/#x2) - save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun; because they have wholly followed the LORD. (Torah NUM.32.12, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/N/nun/#x3) - Nun his son, Joshua his son. (Writings 1CH.7.27, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/N/nun/#x4) - And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being a hundred and ten years old. (Prophets JDG.2.8, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/N/nun/#x5) - And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being a hundred and ten years old. (Prophets JOS.24.29, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/N/nun/#x6) ### Note Countable: nuns. Homophone: «none» (not any) sounds the same. The male equivalent is a monk (or friar); the leader of a convent is an abbess or Mother Superior. ## Early Modern English ### Meaning In the Torah "Nun" is a name, the father of Joshua; in the German text "nun" means "now". [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/N/nun/#m1) ### Then and now Today a nun is a woman in a religious community; the Torah and German uses are not the same, so the word is used in an old or foreign sense. ### Examples - And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun Joshua. (Torah NUM.13.16, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/N/nun/#x1) - In the German translation (p. 188) Wie dies nun die Kuh sah, die einst seine Mutter gewesen war. (Russian Fairy Tales: A Choice Collection of Muscovite Folk-lore) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/N/nun/#x2) - Dalet-Tet-Lamed-Nun-Taw, with the tip of the tongue, serving with voice. (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/N/nun/#x3) ### Note Today: holy sister; name of Joshua's father; now. ## On Mova - [Trees and pragmatics of «nun» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nun/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames. - [«nun» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/nun.html) on Mova free. - [Trees and pragmatics of «nun» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/N/nun/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames. - [«nun» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/nun.html) on Mova free. - [Trees and pragmatics of «nun» in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/N/nun/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames. - [«nun» in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/emode/w/nun.html) on Mova free.