nub

English

Etymology 1

Either directly from Middle Low German, or from knub, from a Middle Low German word (compare Low German Knubbel, Knobbel (“knot; lump”)). Compare knob.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nʌb/

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

Noun

nub (plural nubs)

1. (obsolete) The innermost section of a chrysalis in a silk cocoon.
2. A small lump or knob.
3. The essence or core of an issue, argument etc.

   Synonyms: crux, gist; see also Thesaurus:gist

   What do you think is the nub of the problem?

   • 1897, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], How to Tell a Story:

     Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.

   • 2000, Bill Oddie, Gripping Yarns, page 115:

     But surely the males are no problem? Aha...no we're approaching the nub.

4. (slang) The clitoris.
   • 2007, Melissa MacNeal, Hot for It, →ISBN, page 198[1]:

     “ — and then rub her nub with the bridge of your nose, right where the nerve will drive her straight to the ceiling!”

   • 2008, Arianna Hart, A Man for Marley, →ISBN, page 82[2]:

     When he used his fingers to rub her nub, he didn't have to wait anymore. She exploded for the second time that morning,...

   • 2010, Beverly Rae, Wild Cat, →ISBN, page 81[3]:

     He stroked her, using her movements to increase the pressure on her nub, catching her between his fingers.

5. (computing, colloquial) a pointing stick

Translations

a small lump or knob

• Bulgarian: бучка (bg) f (bučka)
• German: Klümpchen (de) n, Stückchen (de) n, Noppe f

• Indonesian: tombol (id)

essence or core of an issue, argument etc.

• Bulgarian: същност (bg) f (sǎštnost)
• German: Pointe (de), Kernpunkt m, Kern (de) m
• Indonesian: inti (id), sari (id)
• Maori: ngako

• Russian: суть (ru) (sutʹ)

Verb

nub (third-person singular simple present nubs, present participle nubbing, simple past and past participle nubbed)

1. (baseball) To hit the ball weakly.
2. To push; to nudge.
3. To beckon.

Etymology 2

Variant spelling of noob.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nub/

Noun

nub (plural nubs)

1. (Internet slang) A noob; a newcomer or incompetent.

   He can't even make himself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? What a nub.

Anagrams

• BUN, Bun, bun

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Albanian

Etymology

From English noob, from newbie.

Noun

nub m

1. (slang, chiefly Kosovo) newbie, amateur

Synonyms

• amator m, axhami m