Ness

See also: ness and -ness

English

Etymology

Named after the River Ness, of Celtic/Pictish origin, from a Proto-Celtic word *Nesta describing great currents, according to MacBain, from the same Proto-Indo-European root that gave the river Νέστος (Néstos), possibly *ned- (“water”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: nĕs, IPA^(key): /nɛs/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛs

Proper noun

Ness (countable and uncountable, plural Nesses)

1. (Irish mythology) An Ulster princess and the mother of Conchobar mac Nessa and Findchoem in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Daughter of Eochaid Sálbuide. Also the mother of Cormac Cond Longas by incest with Conchobar mac Nessa.
2. A placename
   1. Ellipsis of River Ness, a short river in Highland council area, Scotland, which flows from Loch Ness through Inverness to the Beauly Firth.
   2. Ellipsis of Ness City.
   3. Ellipsis of Ness County.
3. A surname.

Derived terms

• Girdle Ness
• Inverness
• Loch Ness
• Ness City
• Ness County
• Nessie

 

See also

• Great Ness, Little Ness
• ness (landform)

 

Anagrams

• ESNs, NSSE, SE SN, SNES, Sens, Sens., sens

Central Franconian

Alternative forms

• Nöss, Nöst, Nost (parts of Eifel)
• Nest (other Moselle Franconian)

Etymology

From Middle High German nist, byform of nest, from Proto-Germanic *nestą, *nistą. Virtually all Central Franconian dialects (as well as some bordering ones in Rhine and Low Franconian) show the underlying vowel i (hence /nes/, not /nɛs/).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nes/

Noun

Ness n (plural Nester, diminutive Nessje)

1. nest