The word "nona" can be spelled as it is, following the English language's phonetic rules. It is pronounced as /ˈnoʊnə/. The first sound is like the "no" in "no", while the second syllable is pronounced with the "uh" sound, like "uhh". This word refers to a grandmother or an elderly woman, and it originates from Italian. In other languages, such as Spanish and Portuguese, the word for grandmother is spelled as "nonna" and "nona", respectively.
"Nona" is a noun with multiple definitions.
1. In Roman mythology, Nona refers to one of the three Parcae, or Fates. She is depicted as a wise and decrepit old woman who controls the thread of life. Nona is responsible for the allocation and determination of a person's lifespan, particularly pertaining to their destiny and fate.
2. In the Gregorian calendar, "nona" is an abbreviation for "nonae" in Latin, which translates to "nones" in English. Nones are the dates that occur roughly one week before the ides of a month, or the seventh day before the ides. In a standard month, nones fall on the 5th or the 7th, depending on the length of the month.
3. In the Italian language, "nona" means "grandmother" or "ninth" in feminine form. It is used to refer to a person's maternal grandmother or the grandmotherly figure in a family. The term is also frequently used in a broader sense to describe someone who embodies warmth, wisdom, and nurturing qualities.
4. "Nona" is also an alternative spelling for "nunneries," which are religious communities or convents consisting of nuns.
Overall, "nona" represents different concepts across various contexts, including a mythological figure, a date in the calendar, a term for a grandmother, and an alternative spelling for "nunneries."
Encephalitis lethargica occurring during an influenza pandemic.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word "nona" has its origin in Latin. It derives from the Latin word "nonus", which means "ninth". In ancient Rome, the term "nona" referred to the ninth hour of the day, which was around 3:00 PM. It was also used to denote the mid-afternoon break observed in Roman schools and workplaces. Over time, the term "nona" has been adopted into various languages with similar meanings, such as Italian and Spanish.