English Reference

Word

NRL

Phoneticsnrl

Definitions

01rugby competition

B2 · Sport

n. Stands for National Rugby League. This is the main professional rugby league competition in Australia and New Zealand.

n. Abbreviation for National Rugby League. The premier professional rugby league competition in Australasia, consisting of teams from Australia and New Zealand.

“He watches the NRL every weekend during the rugby season.”

“The NRL grand final attracts millions of viewers across Australia, serving as a major cultural event in the sporting calendar.”

Dialect

Usage

Usually used with the definite article 'the' when referring to the competition.

Teaching tip

This is a highly regional term; while common in Australia and New Zealand, learners in the UK or US may not recognize it without context.

Synonyms

rugby league

02Naval Research Laboratory

C1 · Science

n. Stands for Naval Research Laboratory. It is a research center for the United States Navy.

n. Abbreviation for Naval Research Laboratory. Specifically refers to the corporate research laboratory for the United States Navy and Marine Corps.

“The scientist accepted a new position at the NRL in Washington.”

“Researchers at the NRL have been instrumental in developing satellite navigation technologies that preceded modern GPS systems.”

American English · Technical

Usage

Typically used as a proper noun in administrative or scientific contexts.

Teaching tip

This sense is specific to US military and scientific circles.

03biology term

C2 · Science

n. Stands for nucleosome repeat length. It is a measurement used in biology to describe how DNA is packed.

n. Abbreviation for nucleosome repeat length. A measurement in molecular biology representing the average distance between the centers of adjacent nucleosomes.

“The study measured the NRL to see how the cells were changing.”

“Variations in the NRL can indicate significant changes in chromatin structure and gene expression within the cell nucleus.”

Technical · Academic

Usage

Used as a countable noun in scientific literature.

Teaching tip

This is a highly specialized term used only in genetics and molecular biology.

Real-World Examples

“Albanese also declared hospitality from the Canberra Raiders NRL team at a recent football match against his South Sydney Rabbitohs.”
The Guardian · 18 Aug 2026

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/nrl

English Reference