now

A1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /naʊ/ UK /naʊ/ See IPA manual

Freq #50

Meanings

1

adv
At the present moment.

I'm busy right now.
2

adv
In the present times, compared with the past.

Now most people shop online.
3

adv
Used to begin or introduce what you are about to say.

Now, we all want what is best for our children.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adv · at the present moment. at present

2 adv · in the present times,... nowadays

Word family

Derived forms benownow-a-daysnow-adaysnow-nownow-nowismnow-or-nevernowadaysnowcastnowcastingnowdocnowishnowness

Related forms happening

Appears in

Idioms (1)

See all

now or never
A moment when immediate action is necessary because the opportunity will not return.

Proverbs (2)

See all

Etymology

From Middle English now, nou, nu, from Old English nū, from Proto-West Germanic *nū, from Proto-Germanic *nu, from Proto-Indo-European *nū (“now”). Doublet of nu ("well?"). Cognates Cognate with Scots noo, nou, now (“now”), Yola neow, now, nowe (“now”), North Frisian nü (“now”), Saterland Frisian nu (“now”), West Frisian no (“now”), Dutch nu, nou (“now”), German nu, nun (“now”), Limburgish noe, Nuu (“now”), Danish, Swedish nu (“now”), Elfdalian nų (“now”), Faroese nú, núgv (“now”), Icelandic nú, núna (“now”), Norwegian Bokmål nu, nå (“now”), Norwegian Nynorsk no, nu, nå (“now”), Gothic 𐌽𐌿 (nu,…

now Middle English nū Old English *nū Proto-West Germanic *nu Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# now

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** adv
**IPA (US):** /naʊ/
**IPA (UK):** /naʊ/
**Frequency rank:** 50

## Meanings
1. At the present moment.
2. In the present times, compared with the past.
3. Used to begin or introduce what you are about to say.

## Examples
- I'm busy right now.
- Now most people shop online.
- Now, we all want what is best for our children.

## Derived Forms
- benow
- now-a-days
- now-adays
- now-now
- now-nowism
- now-or-never
- nowadays
- nowcast
- nowcasting
- nowdoc
- nowish
- nowness

## Related Forms
- happening

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: now
- Root: nū
- Root: *nū
- Root: *nu

## Etymology
From Middle English now, nou, nu, from Old English nū, from Proto-West Germanic *nū, from Proto-Germanic *nu, from Proto-Indo-European *nū (“now”). Doublet of nu ("well?"). Cognates Cognate with Scots noo, nou, now (“now”), Yola neow, now, nowe (“now”), North Frisian nü (“now”), Saterland Frisian nu (“now”), West Frisian no (“now”), Dutch nu, nou (“now”), German nu, nun (“now”), Limburgish noe, Nuu (“now”), Danish, Swedish nu (“now”), Elfdalian nų (“now”), Faroese nú, núgv (“now”), Icelandic nú, núna (“now”), Norwegian Bokmål nu, nå (“now”), Norwegian Nynorsk no, nu, nå (“now”), Gothic 𐌽𐌿 (nu,…

## AI Etymology
Now comes from Middle English now, nou, nu, from Old English nū, from Proto-West Germanic *nū, from Proto-Germanic *nu, from Proto-Indo-European *nū (“now”). Doublet of nu ("well?"). Modern senses include at the present moment and in the present times, compared with the past. The wider word family includes derivatives such as benow, now-a-days, now-adays, now-now, now-nowism, and now-or-never and related forms such as happening.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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now