Spanish edit

Etymology edit

Inherited from Late Latin nonnus. Compare Italian nonno (grandfather).

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈɲoɲo/ [ˈɲo.ɲo]
  • Rhymes: -oɲo
  • Syllabification: ño‧ño

Adjective edit

ñoño (feminine ñoña, masculine plural ñoños, feminine plural ñoñas)

  1. whiny, pathetic, namby-pamby
    Synonyms: llorón, fome, insulso, soso
    • 2016 May 1, Javier Marías, “Un par de plagas”, in El País[1], Madrid, →ISSN:
      En parte hay que darles la razón, supongo: si los hablantes optan por decir de alguien bien plantado que “está como un queso” o que es un “yogurín”, ya puedo opinar yo que el símil está mal traído (hay miles de quesos, y algunos de aspecto y olor nauseabundos) o que el segundo término es pueril y ñoño y quizá efímero, que no me queda sino aguantarme y aceptarlos.
      Partly you have to agree with them, I guess: if the speakers opt to say of someone good-looking that they “look dishy” [Literally, are like a cheese] or are a “toyboy”, then I can say that the simile is ill-formed (there are thousands of cheeses, and some look and smell nauseating) or that the second term is puerile and sappy and maybe ephemeral, that I just have to put up with it and accept them.
  2. (colloquial) characterless, spineless
    Synonym: apocado
  3. (archaic) senile
    Synonyms: chocho, senil
  4. nerdy

Noun edit

ñoño m (plural ñoños)

  1. the letter Ñ in the Spanish spelling alphabet

Related terms edit

Further reading edit