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nan

medium
UK/nan/US/nɑːn/, /næn/

informal

My Flashcards

Definition

Meaning

One's grandmother (informal, affectionate term).

Can refer to a type of leavened, oven-baked flatbread (naan) in South Asian cuisine. In computing slang, a 'NaN' (Not a Number) is a numeric data type value representing an undefined or unrepresentable value.

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

The familial term is used primarily as a proper noun or vocative. The culinary term is a mass noun but can be pluralized ('nans') informally. The computing term is a highly technical acronym.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

'Nan' for grandmother is far more common and established in British English. In American English, 'Nana' or 'Grammy' are more typical; 'nan' is understood but less frequent. The culinary term 'naan' is spelled and used identically in both varieties.

Connotations

In British English, 'nan' is warm, working-class, and familial. In American English, if used, it can sound quaint or British. The computing term is strictly technical.

Frequency

High frequency in UK informal/family contexts. Low frequency in US for the familial sense. Medium frequency for the culinary term in both.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
my nannan's housegarlic naan
medium
visit nannan's recipebutter naan
weak
dear nanchat with nanorder a naan

Grammar

Valency Patterns

[Possessive] + nan + [verb]Let's get + [determiner] + naan

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

nanagranflatbread

Neutral

grandmothergrannynaan bread

Weak

grandmagramroti

Vocabulary

Antonyms

grandfathergrandadpapa

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

  • “[not applicable for this word]”

Usage

Context Usage

Business

[not applicable]

Academic

[not applicable for familial sense; computing term 'NaN' used in mathematics/computer science]

Everyday

Primarily used in family conversations and in restaurants serving South Asian cuisine.

Technical

In computing: 'The function returns NaN for invalid inputs.'

Examples

By CEFR Level

A2
  • My nan lives in Manchester.
  • We ate naan with the curry.
B1
  • I'm going to visit my nan this weekend.
  • Could you pass the garlic naan, please?
B2
  • My nan always tells the best stories about her childhood.
  • The restaurant's signature dish is served with freshly baked naan.
C1
  • Having been raised largely by his nan, he felt a particularly strong bond with her.
  • The data corruption caused several values to be interpreted as NaN.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of 'nan' as a short, cosy word for a cozy person – your 'Nan'. For the bread, remember the double 'a' in 'naan' is like the tandoor oven's round shape.

Conceptual Metaphor

NAN AS SOURCE OF NOURISHMENT (both familial and culinary).

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

  • Do not confuse with the Russian prefix 'на-' meaning 'on'.
  • The computing term 'NaN' has no direct equivalent; it is a borrowed acronym.

Common Mistakes

  • Capitalising 'nan' when not used as a name (e.g., 'I saw my Nan' vs. 'I saw my nan').
  • Misspelling the bread as 'nan' instead of the more standard 'naan'.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
My makes the best apple pie in the world.
Multiple Choice

In which context is 'NaN' used?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

No, it is an informal, affectionate term, most common in British English.

'Nan' (one 'a') typically refers to a grandmother. 'Naan' (two 'a's) refers to the leavened flatbread. They are homophones.

Yes, it is often used as a proper noun when addressing or referring to one's own grandmother, similar to 'Mum' or 'Dad'.

It is understood but is far less common than terms like 'Nana' or 'Grandma'. Its use in the US often implies a British cultural connection.