# NAM

/ˈnæm/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/nam
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. the Vietnam War

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal · American English

a short, informal name for the Vietnam War.

For teachers: A colloquial clipping referring specifically to the Vietnam War, frequently used by veterans or in historical contexts.

- My uncle rarely talks about his time in Nam during the late sixties.
- The veteran's memoir provides a visceral account of his deployment in Nam, focusing on the psychological toll of jungle warfare.

### 2. the country Vietnam

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · Slang

a short, informal way to say the country Vietnam.

For teachers: An informal clipping of the proper noun Vietnam, used to refer to the country itself.

- He spent three months backpacking through Nam and Cambodia last summer.
- After the borders reopened, many former residents returned to Nam to visit family and see how the cities had transformed.

### 3. Non-Aligned Movement

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic · Formal

Stands for Non-Aligned Movement.

For teachers: Abbreviation for Non-Aligned Movement, an international organisation of states not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc.

- The NAM summit focused on economic cooperation between developing nations.
- During the Cold War, NAM served as a significant diplomatic platform for nations seeking to maintain autonomy from both the Western and Eastern blocs.

## Examples

- I saw the keys and grabbed 'nam.
- If you find any old magazines in the attic, just throw 'nam away.
- The manager told the staff to take the leftover pastries home rather than letting 'nam go to waste at the end of the shift.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.