nonce

1 of 2

noun

ˈnän(t)s

: the one, particular, or present occasion, purpose, or use

for the nonce

: the time being

nonce

2 of 2

adjective

: occurring, used, or made only once or for a special occasion

a nonce word

Did you know?

Nonce first appeared in Middle English as a noun spelled "nanes." The spelling likely came about from a misdivision of the phrase "then anes." ("Then" was the Middle English equivalent of "the" and anes meant "one purpose.") The word was especially used in the phrase for the nonce, meaning "for the one purpose," as in Geoffrey Chaucer's "Prologue" of Canterbury Tales: "A cook they hadde with hem for the nones To boille the chiknes with the marybones." The adjective "nonce" did not exist in print until the publication in 1884 of the New English Dictionary on Historical Principles (which later became the Oxford English Dictionary). The editor of that dictionary, James Murray, created the term "nonce-word" as a label for "words apparently employed for the nonce."

nonce

adjective

as in infrequent

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

infrequent
inconstant
occasional
intermittent
irregular
one-off
one-shot
onetime

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

periodical
usual
recurrent
periodic
repeated
routine
regular
frequent
ordinary
common
recurring
familiar
commonplace
steady
cyclic
constant
ubiquitous
everyday
cyclical
continual
customary
hourly
chronic
habitual
inveterate
confirmed
accustomed
annual
expected
yearly
round-the-clock
around-the-clock

单词	nonce
释义	nonce 1 of 2 noun ˈnän(t)s 1 : the one, particular, or present occasion, purpose, or use for the nonce 2 : the time being nonce 2 of 2 adjective : occurring, used, or made only once or for a special occasion a nonce word Did you know? Nonce first appeared in Middle English as a noun spelled "nanes." The spelling likely came about from a misdivision of the phrase "then anes." ("Then" was the Middle English equivalent of "the" and anes meant "one purpose.") The word was especially used in the phrase for the nonce, meaning "for the one purpose," as in Geoffrey Chaucer's "Prologue" of Canterbury Tales: "A cook they hadde with hem for the nones To boille the chiknes with the marybones." The adjective "nonce" did not exist in print until the publication in 1884 of the New English Dictionary on Historical Principles (which later became the Oxford English Dictionary). The editor of that dictionary, James Murray, created the term "nonce-word" as a label for "words apparently employed for the nonce." Word History Etymology Noun Middle English nanes, alteration (from misdivision of then anes in such phrases as to then anes for the one purpose) of anes one purpose, irregular from an, on one — more at one First Known Use Noun 13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Adjective 1884, in the meaning defined above Phrases Containing nonce for the nonce for the nonce nonce adjective as in infrequent Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance infrequent inconstant occasional intermittent irregular one-off one-shot onetime Antonyms & Near Antonyms periodical usual recurrent periodic repeated routine regular frequent ordinary common recurring familiar commonplace steady cyclic constant ubiquitous everyday cyclical continual customary hourly chronic habitual inveterate confirmed accustomed annual expected yearly round-the-clock around-the-clock See More
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nonce

noun

adjective

Did you know?

Word History

Phrases Containing nonce

adjective