ns

See also: Appendix:Variations of "ns"

㎱ U+33B1, ㎱ SQUARE NS ← ㎰ [U+33B0] CJK Compatibility ㎲ → [U+33B2]

Translingual

Symbol

ns

2. (metrology) Symbol for nanosecond, an SI unit of time equal to 10⁻⁹ seconds.

English

Noun

ns

1. plural of n

Usage notes

• Opinions vary regarding the use of apostrophes when forming the plurals of letters of the alphabet. New Fowler’s Modern English Usage, after noting that the usage has changed, states on page 602 that “after letters an apostrophe is obligatory.” The 17th edition of The Chicago Manual of Style states in paragraph 7.15, “To aid comprehension, lowercase letters form the plural with an apostrophe and an s”. The Oxford Style Manual on page 116 advocates the use of common sense.

Anagrams

• SN, sn, s.n., Sn, S/N

Egyptian

Etymology

From Proto-Afroasiatic *lis- (“tongue”). Cognate with Proto-Semitic *lišān- and Proto-Berber *iləs.

Pronunciation

 

• (reconstructed) IPA^(key): /lis/ → /lis/ → /les/ → /les/

• (Old Egyptian, c. 2500 BCE) IPA^(key): /lis/
• (Middle Egyptian, c. 1700 BCE) IPA^(key): /lis/
• (Amarna-period Late Egyptian, c. 1350 BCE) IPA^(key): /les/
• (latest Late Egyptian, c. 800 BCE) IPA^(key): /les/

• (modern Egyptological) IPA^(key): /nɛs/
  • Conventional anglicization: nes

Noun

 m

1. tongue

Inflection

Declension of ns (masculine)

singular	ns
dual	nswj
plural	nsw

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of ns  

ns

Descendants

• Demotic: ⁠⁠ (ls)
  • Akhmimic Coptic: ⲗⲉⲥ (les)
  • Bohairic Coptic: ⲗⲁⲥ (las)
  • Fayyumic Coptic: ⲗⲉⲥ (les)
  • Old Coptic: ⲗⲁⲥ (las)
  • Sahidic Coptic: ⲗⲁⲥ (las)

References

• James P[eter] Allen (2010), Middle Egyptian: An Introduction to the Language and Culture of Hieroglyphs, 2nd edition, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, pages 36, 260.

Lingala

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ⁿs/

Letter

ns (upper case Ns)

1. A letter of the Lingala alphabet, written in the Latin script.

Spanish

Phrase

ns

1. (text messaging) abbreviation of no sé, idk