Nubility noun [ Confer French nubilité .] The state of being marriageable. [ R.]

Nubilose, Nubilous adjective [ Latin nubilosus , nubilus , from nubes cloud.] Cloudy. [ R.]

Nucament noun [ Latin nucamenta fir cones, from nux , nucis , a nut.] (Botany) A catkin or ament; the flower cluster of the hazel, pine, willow, and the like.

Nucamentaceous adjective [ See Nucament .] (Botany) Like a nut either in structure or in being indehiscent; bearing one-seeded nutlike fruits. [ Written also nucumentaceous .]

Nucellus noun ; plural Nucelli . [ New Latin , dim. of nux , nucis , a nut.] (Botany) See Nucleus , 3 (a) .

Nucha noun ; plural Nuch... . [ Late Latin ] (Zoology) The back or upper part of the neck; the nape.

Nuchal adjective [ Confer French nucal .] (Anat.) Of, pertaining to, or in the region of, the back, or nape, of the neck; -- applied especially to the anterior median plate in the carapace of turtles.

Nuciferous adjective [ Latin nux , nucis , nut + -ferous .] Bearing, or producing, nuts.

Nuciform adjective [ Latin nux , nucis , nut + -form .] (Botany) Shaped like a nut; nut-shaped.

Nucin noun [ Latin nux , nucis , a nut.] (Chemistry) See Juglone .

Nucleal, Nuclear adjective Of or pertaining to a nucleus; as, the nuclear spindle (see Illust . of Karyokinesis ) or the nuclear fibrils of a cell; the nuclear part of a comet, etc.

Nucleate adjective [ Latin nucleatus having a kernel.] Having a nucleus; nucleated.

Nucleate transitive verb [ Confer Latin nucleare to become kernelly.] To gather, as about a nucleus or center.

Nucleated adjective Having a nucleus; nucleate; as, nucleated cells.

Nucleiform adjective [ Latin nucleus kernel + -form .] Formed like a nucleus or kernel.

Nuclein noun (Physiol. Chem.) A constituent of the nuclei of all cells. It is a colorless amorphous substance, readily soluble in alkaline fluids and especially characterized by its comparatively large content of phosphorus. It also contains nitrogen and sulphur.

Nucleobranch adjective (Zoology) Belonging to the Nucleobranchiata. -- noun One of the Nucleobranchiata.

Nucleobranchiata noun plural [ New Latin See Nucleus , and Branchia ] (Zoology) See Heteropoda .

Nucleoidioplasma noun [ New Latin See Nucleus , and Idioplasma .] (Biol.) Hyaline plasma contained in the nucleus of vegetable cells.

Nucleolar adjective (Biol.) Of or pertaining to the nucleolus of a cell.

Nucleolated adjective Having a nucleole, or second inner nucleus.

Nucleole noun [ See Nucleolus .] The nucleus within a nucleus; nucleolus.

Nucleolus noun ; plural Nucleoli . [ Latin , a little nut, dim. of nucleus .]

1. A little nucleus.

2. (Biol.) A small rounded body contained in the nucleus of a cell or a protozoan.

» It was termed by Agassiz the entoblast . In the protozoa, where it may be situated on one side of the nucleus, it is sometimes called the endoplastule , and is supposed to be concerned in the male part of the reproductive process. See Nucleus .

Nucleoplasm noun [ Nucleus + -plasm .] (Biol.) The matter composing the nucleus of a cell; the protoplasm of the nucleus; karyoplasma.

Nucleoplasmic adjective (Biol.) Of or pertaining to nucleoplasm; -- esp. applied to a body formed in the developing ovum from the plasma of the nucleus of the germinal vesicle.

Nucleus noun ; plural English Nucleuses , Latin Nuclei . [ Latin , a kernel, dim. from nux , nucis , nut. Confer Newel post.]

1. A kernel; hence, a central mass or point about which matter is gathered, or to which accretion is made; the central or material portion; -- used both literally and figuratively.

It must contain within itself a nucleus of truth.

I. Taylor.

2. (Astron.) The body or the head of a comet.

3. (Botany) (a) An incipient ovule of soft cellular tissue. (b) A whole seed, as contained within the seed coats.

4. (Biol.) A body, usually spheroidal, in a cell or a protozoan, distinguished from the surrounding protoplasm by a difference in refrangibility and in behavior towards chemical reagents. It is more or less protoplasmic, and consists of a clear fluid (achromatin) through which extends a network of fibers (chromatin) in which may be suspended a second rounded body, the nucleolus (see Nucleoplasm ). See Cell division , under Division .

» The nucleus is sometimes termed the endoplast or endoblast , and in the protozoa is supposed to be concerned in the female part of the reproductive process. See Karyokinesis .

5. (Zoology) (a) The tip, or earliest part, of a univalve or bivalve shell. (b) The central part around which additional growths are added, as of an operculum. (c) A visceral mass, containing the stomach and other organs, in Tunicata and some mollusks.

Nucula noun [ Latin , little nut, dim. of nux , nucis , a nut.] (Zoology) A genus of small marine bivalve shells, having a pearly interior.

Nucule (nū"kul) noun [ Latin nucula a small nut.] (Botany) Same as Nutlet .

Nucumentaceous adjective (Botany) See Nucamentaceous .

Nudation noun [ Latin nudatio , from nudare to make naked, from nudus naked. See Nude .] The act of stripping, or making bare or naked.

Nuddle intransitive verb To walk quickly with the head bent forward; -- often with along . [ Prov. Eng.]

Nude adjective [ Latin nudus . See Naked .]

1. Bare; naked; unclothed; undraped; as, a nude statue.

2. (Law) Naked; without consideration; void; as, a nude contract. See Nudum pactum . Blackstone.

The nude , the undraped human figure in art.

-- Nude"ly , adverb - Nude"ness , noun

Nudge transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Nudge... ; present participle & verbal noun Nudging .] [ Confer Prov. German knütschen to squeeze, pinch, English Knock .] To touch gently, as with the elbow, in order to call attention or convey intimation.

Nudge noun A gentle push, or jog, as with the elbow.

Nudibrachiate adjective [ Latin nudus naked + brachium an arm.] (Zoology) Having tentacles without vibratile cilia. Carpenter.

Nudibranch adjective (Zoology) Of or pertaining to the Nudibranchiata. -- noun One of the Nudibranchiata.

Nudibranchiata noun plural [ New Latin See Nude , and Branchia .] (Zoology) A division of opisthobranchiate mollusks, having no shell except while very young. The gills are naked and situated upon the back or sides. See Ceratobranchia .

Nudibranchiate adjective & noun (Zoology) Same as Nudibranch .

Nudicaul adjective [ Latin nudus naked + caulis stem.] (Botany) Having the stems leafless.

Nudification noun [ Latin nudus naked + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See - fy .] The act of making nude.

Nudity noun ; plural Nudities . [ Confer French nudité .]

1. The quality or state of being nude; nakedness.

2. That which is nude or naked; naked part; undraped or unclothed portion; esp. (Fine Arts) , the human figure represented unclothed; any representation of nakedness; -- chiefly used in the plural and in a bad sense.

There are no such licenses permitted in poetry any more than in painting, to design and color obscene nudities .

Dryden.

Nudum pactum [ Latin , a nude pact.] (Law) A bare, naked contract, without any consideration. Tomlins.

Nugacity noun [ Latin nugacitas , from nugax , -acis , trifling.] Futility; trifling talk or behavior; drollery. [ R.] Dr. H. More.

Nugation noun [ Confer Old French nugation .] The act or practice of trifling. [ R.] Bacon.

Nugatory adjective [ Latin nugatorius , from nugari to trifle, nugae jests, trifles.]

1. Trifling; vain; futile; insignificant.

2. Of no force; inoperative; ineffectual.

If all are pardoned, and pardoned as a mere act of clemency, the very substance of government is made nugatory .

I. Taylor.

Nugget noun [ Earlier niggot , probably for nigot , an ingot . See Ingot .] A lump; a mass, esp. a native lump of a precious metal; as, a nugget of gold.

Nugify transitive verb [ Latin nuggae trifles + -fy .] To render trifling or futile; to make silly. [ R.] Coleridge.

Nugæ noun plural [ Latin ] Trifles; jests.

Nuisance noun [ Middle English noisance , Old French noisance , nuisance , from Latin nocentia guilt, from nocere to hurt, harm; akin to necare to kill. Cf Necromancy , Nocent , Noxious , Pernicious .] That which annoys or gives trouble and vexation; that which is offensive or noxious.

» Nuisances are public when they annoy citizens in general; private , when they affect individuals only.

Nuisancer noun (Law) One who makes or causes a nuisance.