N , n. (Print.) A measure of space equal to half an M (or em); an en.
N (&ebreve;n), the fourteenth letter of English alphabet, is a vocal
consonent, and, in allusion to its mode of formation, is called the dentinasal or
linguanasal consonent. Its commoner sound is that heard
in ran, done; but when immediately followed
in the same
word by the
sound of g hard or
k (as in
single, sink,
conquer), it usually
represents the same sound as the
digraph ng in sing, bring, etc. This is a simple but related sound, and is called the gutturo-nasal consonent. See Guide to Pronunciation, §§ 243-246.
The letter N came into English through the Latin and
Greek from the Phœnician, which probably derived it from the Egyptian as the ultimate origin. It is
etymologically most closely
related to M. See M.
Hear it pronounced