not

Meanings

1. 1
   adv

   Used to make a word or sentence negative.

   They do not speak French.

2. 2
   adv

   Not at all; in no way.

   That is not red; it's green.

3. 3
   conj

   And not; used to contrast with something true.

   I wanted a plate of shrimp, not a bucket of chicken.

From Middle English not, nat, variant of noght, naht (“not, nothing”), from Old English *nōht, nāht (“nought, nothing”), short for nōwiht, nāwiht (“nothing”, literally “not anything”), corresponding to ne (“not”) + ōwiht, āwiht (“anything”), corresponding to ā (“ever, always”) + wiht (“thing, creature”). Cognate with Scots nat, naucht (“not”), Saterland Frisian nit (“not”), West Frisian net (“not”), Dutch niet (“not”), German nicht (“not”). Compare nought, naught and aught. More at no, wight, whit.

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