# Nana

/ˈnænə/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/nana
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. grandmother

noun · CEFR A2 · Informal

a name you use for your grandmother.

For teachers: an informal and endearing term for one's grandmother.

- We are going to visit Nana this weekend for her birthday.
- The children spent every summer at their nana's cottage by the sea, creating memories that lasted a lifetime.

Usage: Often capitalized when used as a proper name for a specific person.

### 2. a foolish person

noun · CEFR B2 · British English · Slang · Informal

a person who acts in a silly or stupid way.

For teachers: a person who behaves foolishly or lacks common sense.

- I felt like a bit of a nana when I realized my glasses were on my head.
- He made a complete nana of himself by trying to fix the plumbing without turning off the water main first.

Usage: Commonly used in the phrase 'to look like a nana' or 'to feel like a nana'.

### 3. banana

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a short, informal way to say banana.

For teachers: a clipped form of the word banana, typically used in casual speech or when talking to children.

- Do you want a nana with your cereal this morning?
- The toddler refused to eat anything for lunch except for a sliced nana and a piece of toast.

### 4. mythology

noun · CEFR C2 · Academic · Technical

a goddess or female spirit in some ancient cultures.

For teachers: a female deity appearing in various ancient mythologies, including Greek and Armenian traditions.

- The ancient stories tell of Nana, the mother of the god Attis.
- Scholars often compare the attributes of the goddess Nana to those of other mother-deities in the Near East.

Usage: Usually capitalized as a proper noun.

## Examples

- My nana makes the best apple pie.
- She spends every Sunday afternoon baking cookies with her nana in the kitchen.
- The old photographs revealed a woman of quiet dignity, though to her grandchildren she was simply 'nana', a source of endless warmth and stories.

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