/nuyn/ , n.
1. a cardinal number, eight plus one.
2. a symbol for this number, as 9 or IX.
3. a set of this many persons or things.
4. a baseball team.
5. a playing card with nine pips.
6. dressed to the nines , looking one's best; dressed smartly, splendidly, etc.: All the girls were dressed to the nines for the party.
7. the Nine , the Muses.
adj.
8. amounting to nine in number.
[ bef. 900; ME; OE nigan, nigon, c. D negen, akin to G neun, ON niu, Goth niun, L novem, Gk ennéa, Skt náva ]