nobody

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English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English nobody, no-body, no body, equivalent to a compound of no (none, not any, adjective) +‎ body (one, person, individual).

Pronunciation

  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "UK" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈnəʊ.bə.di/, /ˈnəʊ.bɒ.di/
    • Audio (UK):(file)
  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "US" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈnoʊ.bə.di/, /ˈnoʊ.ˌbʌ.di/, /ˈnoʊ.bɑ.di/

Pronoun

nobody

  1. Not any person; the logical negation of somebody.
    I asked several people, but nobody knew how.
    As nobody who is not blind can have failed to notice, I had my hair cut just yesterday.

Usage notes

  • Nobody has a lower degree of formality than no one, but is still standard and is unremarkable in more formal contexts.
  • See more at no one

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

nobody (plural nobodies)

  1. Someone who is not important or well-known.
    • 1835, Charlotte Brontë, chapter XXVII, in Villette[1]:
      “‘The nobody you once thought me!’ I repeated, and my face grew a little hot; but I would not be angry: of what importance was a school-girl’s crude use of the terms nobody and somebody?”

Translations