isn't

See also: isnt

English

Alternative forms

• idn't (eye dialect)
• in't (Northern England, informal)
• i'n (West Country, slang)
• isnae (Scotland)

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *h₁es-

Proto-Indo-European *h₁ésti

Proto-Germanic *isti

Proto-West Germanic *ist

Old English is

Middle English is

English is

Proto-Indo-European *né

Proto-Germanic *ne

Proto-West Germanic *ne

Proto-Indo-European *h₂ey-

Proto-Indo-European *-u

Proto-Indo-European *h₂óyu

Proto-Indo-European *-osinflu.

Proto-Germanic *aiwaz

Proto-West Germanic *aiw

univ.

Proto-West Germanic *naiw

Proto-Indo-European *wekʷ-

Proto-Indo-European *-tis

Proto-Indo-European *wékʷtisder.?

Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ-

Proto-Indo-European *-tis

Proto-Indo-European *wéǵʰtisder.?

Proto-Germanic *wihtą

Proto-West Germanic *wiht

Proto-West Germanic *naiwwiht

Old English nāwiht

Old English *nōht

Middle English nought

Middle English not

English notder.

English -n't

English isn't

From is + -n't.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈɪz.ənt/, [ˈɪz.n̩t], (colloquial) /ˈɪn(t)/
• (US, Canada, Australia) IPA^(key): /ˈɪz.ənt/, [ˈɪz.n̩t]

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪzənt, -ɪn, -ɪnt

Verb

isn't

1. Contraction of is +‎ not (negative auxiliary).

   Nice day, isn't it?

   I suppose she's hungry, isn't she?

   • 2013 July-August, Stephen P. Lownie, David M. Pelz, “Stents to Prevent Stroke”, in American Scientist:

     As we age, the major arteries of our bodies frequently become thickened with plaque, a fatty material with an oatmeal-like consistency that builds up along the inner lining of blood vessels. The reason plaque forms isn’t entirely known, but it seems to be related to high levels of cholesterol inducing an inflammatory response, which can also attract and trap more cellular debris over time.

Derived terms

• innit

Translations

is not

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 不是 (zh) (bùshì)

• Czech: není (cs)
• Danish: er (da) ikke (da)
• Esperanto: ne estas
• Estonian: ei ole, pole (et)
• Finnish: ei ole
• Galician: non é
• Gothic: 𐌽𐌹𐍃𐍄 (nist)
• Icelandic: er ekki
• Irish: níl, ní

  Old Irish: ní

• Latvian: nav (lv)
• Persian: نیست (fa) (nist)
• Polish: nie jest, nie ma (pl)
• Portuguese: não é
• Romani: na-i
• Scots: isna, isnae
• Spanish: no es
• Swedish: är inte

Noun

isn't (plural isn'ts)

1. (colloquial, nonstandard) Something or someone that is defined by the lack of the characteristic being discussed.
   • 2020 August 17, Bret Stephens, “On Being a Biden Conservative”, in The New York Times‎^[1]:

     The most obvious recommendations for Joe Biden are a succession of “isn’ts.” He isn’t Donald Trump. He isn’t Bernie Sanders. He isn’t angry, bigoted, cruel, demagogic, erratic, frightening or gross. He isn’t going to drive Americans to distraction or the country into a ditch.

Anagrams

• Inst., NIST, NTIS, TINs, Tsin, inst, inst., ints, nits, snit, tins