home/glossary/Nouns · N

Glossary · Nouns · N

L1 — paginated flat list. Pick a POS, pick a letter.

TermTypeDefinitionClassificationsUpdated
National Information Assurance PartnershipnounMWEA U.S. government initiative established to promote the use of evaluated information systems products and champion the development and use of national and international standards for information technology security. NIAP was originally established as a collaboration between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Security Agency (NSA) in fulfilling their respective responsibilities under P.L. 100-235 (Computer Security Act of 1987). NIST officially withdrew from the partnership in 2007 but NSA continues to manage and operate the program. The key operational component of NIAP is the Common Criteria Evaluation and Validation Scheme (CCEVS) which is the only U.S. government-sponsored and endorsed program for conducting internationally recognized security evaluations of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) Information Assurance (IA) and IA-enabled information technology products. NIAP employs the CCEVS to provide government oversight or “validation” to U.S. CC evaluations to ensure correct conformance to the International Common Criteria for IT Security Evaluation (ISO/IEC 15408).OrganizationRegulatedMay 12, 2026
National Information InfrastructurenounMWENationwide interconnection of communications networks, computers, databases, and consumer electronics that make vast amounts of information available to users. It includes both public and private networks, the Internet, the public switched network, and cable, wireless, and satellite communications.NetworkRegulatedMay 9, 2026
National Institute for Standards and TechnologynounMWEDevelops tests, test methods, reference data, proof-of concept implementations, and technical analyses to advance the development and productive use of information technology Scope Note: NIST is a US government entity that creates mandatory standards that are followed by federal agencies and those doing business with them.OrganizationMay 9, 2026
National Institute of Standards and TechnologynounMWENational Institute of Standards and Technology, a unit of the US Commerce Department. Formerly known as the National Bureau of Standards, NIST promotes and maintains measurement standards. It also has active programs for encouraging and assisting industry and science to develop and use these standards.OrganizationMay 12, 2026
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)nounMWEAn agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce that works to develop and apply technology, measurements, and standards. NIST developed a voluntary cybersecurity framework based on existing standards, guidelines, and practices for reducing cyber risks to critical infrastructures.OrganizationMay 9, 2026
National InsurancenounMWEsocial insurance program in BritainverifiedMay 18, 2026
National LeadernounMWEa man who is a respected leader in national or international affairsverifiedMay 18, 2026
National MonumentnounMWEmemorial consisting of a structure or natural landmark of historic interestverifiedMay 18, 2026
National ParknounMWEa tract of land declared by the national government to be public propertyverifiedMay 18, 2026
National Security Emergency Preparedness Telecommunications ServicesnounMWETelecommunications services that are used to maintain a state of readiness or to respond to and manage any event or crisis (local, national, or international) that causes or could cause injury or harm to the population, damage to or loss of property, or degrade or threaten the national security or emergency preparedness posture of the United States.CapabilityRegulatedCUIMay 9, 2026
National Security InformationnounMWEInformation that has been determined pursuant to Executive Order 12958 as amended by Executive Order 13292, or any predecessor order, or by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, to require protection against unauthorized disclosure and is marked to indicate its classified status.DataRegulatedCUIMay 9, 2026
National Security SystemnounMWEAny information system (including any telecommunications system) used or operated by an agency or by a contractor of any agency, or other organization on behalf of an agency, the function, operation, or use of which: I. involves intelligence activities; II. involves cryptologic activities related to national security; III. Involves command and control of military forces; IV. involves equipment that is an integral part of a weapon or weapon system; or V. subject to subparagraph (B), is critical to the direct fulfillment of military or intelligence missions; or is protected at all times by procedures established for information that have been specifically authorized under criteria established by an Executive Order or an Act of Congress to be kept classified in the interest of national defense or foreign policy. Subparagraph (B). Does not include a system that is to be used for routine administrative and business applications (including payroll, finance, logistics, and personnel management applications). (Title 44 U.S. Code Section 3542, Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002.)SystemRegulatedCUIMay 9, 2026
National ServicenounMWEcompulsory service in the military during peacetimeverifiedMay 18, 2026
National Settlement Service (NSS)nounMWEAlso referred to as Deferred Net Settlement. The Federal Reserve Banks' multilateral settlement service. NSS is offered to depository institutions that settle for participants in clearinghouses, financial exchanges, and other clearing and settlement groups. Settlement agents acting on behalf of those depository institutions electronically submit settlement files to the Federal Reserve Banks. Files are processed on receipt, and entries are automatically posted to the depository institutions' Reserve Bank accounts. Entries are final when posted.OrganizationRegulatedMay 12, 2026
National SocialismnounMWEa form of socialism featuring racism and expansionism and obedience to a strong leaderverifiedMay 18, 2026
National Trading PolicynounMWEa government's policy controlling foreign tradeverifiedMay 18, 2026
National Vulnerability DatabasenounMWEThe U.S. government repository of standards-based vulnerability management data. This data enables automation of vulnerability management, security measurement, and compliance (e.g., FISMA).VulnerabilityRegulatedMay 12, 2026
Nationalisationnounchanging something from private to state ownership or controlverifiedMay 18, 2026
Nationalismnounthe doctrine that nations should act independently (rather than collectively) to attain their goalsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Nationalist LeadernounMWEthe leader of a nationalist movementverifiedMay 18, 2026
Nationalitynounthe status of belonging to a particular nation by birth or naturalizationverifiedMay 18, 2026
Nationalizationnounchanging something from private to state ownership or controlverifiedMay 18, 2026
Nationhoodnounthe state of being a nationverifiedMay 18, 2026
Native AustraliannounMWEa dark-skinned member of a race of people living in Australia when Europeans arrivedverifiedMay 18, 2026
Native BearnounMWEsluggish tailless Australian arboreal marsupial with grey furry ears and coatverifiedMay 18, 2026
Native BeechnounMWEtall Australian timber tree yielding tough hard wood used for staves etcverifiedMay 18, 2026
Native CatnounMWEcarnivorous arboreal cat-like marsupials of Australia and TasmaniaverifiedMay 18, 2026
Native CranberrynounMWEsmall prostrate or ascending shrub having scarlet flowers and succulent fruit resembling cranberriesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Native FuchsianounMWEerect deciduous shrub or tree to 10 feet with maroon flowersverifiedMay 18, 2026
Native HollynounMWElow spreading evergreen shrub of southern Australia having triangular to somewhat heart-shaped foliage and orange-yellow flowers followed by flat winged podsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Native LandnounMWEthe country where you were bornverifiedMay 18, 2026
Native LanguagenounMWEthe language that a person has spoken from earliest childhoodverifiedMay 18, 2026
Native OrangenounMWEsmall Australian tree bearing edible dark purple fruitverifiedMay 18, 2026
Native PeachnounMWEred Australian fruitverifiedMay 18, 2026
Native PearnounMWEtree bearing pear-shaped fruit with a thick woody epicarpverifiedMay 18, 2026
Native PomegranatenounMWEsmall Australian tree bearing edible fruit resembling the pomegranateverifiedMay 18, 2026
Native SpeakernounMWEa speaker of a particular language who has spoken that language since earliest childhoodverifiedMay 18, 2026
Native SulfurnounMWEan old name for sulfurverifiedMay 18, 2026
Native SulphurnounMWEan old name for sulfurverifiedMay 18, 2026
Nativenessnounthe quality of belonging to or being connected with a certain place or region by virtue of birth or originverifiedMay 18, 2026
Nativismnounthe policy of perpetuating native cultures (in opposition to acculturation)verifiedMay 18, 2026
Nativitynounthe event of being bornverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natriuresisnounthe presence of abnormally large amounts of sodium in the urineverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natrolitenouna group of minerals of the zeolite family consisting of a hydrous silicate of sodium and aluminumverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natterjacknouncommon brownish-yellow short-legged toad of western EuropeverifiedMay 18, 2026
Nattinessnounstylishness as evidenced by a smart appearanceverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural AbilitynounMWEability that is inheritedverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural ActionnounMWEa process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings)verifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural ChildbirthnounMWElabor and childbirth without medical interventionverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural CoveringnounMWEa natural object that covers or envelopsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural DepressionnounMWEa sunken or depressed geological formationverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural DisasternounMWEAny "act of God" (e.g., fire, flood, earthquake, lightning, or wind) that disables a system component.EventMay 12, 2026
Natural ElevationnounMWEa raised or elevated geological formationverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural EnclosurenounMWEa naturally enclosed spaceverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural EndowmentnounMWEnatural abilities or qualitiesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural EventnounMWEan event that happensverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural Family PlanningnounMWEany of several methods of family planning that do not involve sterilization or contraceptive devices or drugsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural FibernounMWEfiber derived from plants or animalsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural FibrenounMWEfiber derived from plants or animalsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural GasnounMWEa fossil fuel in the gaseous stateverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural GlassnounMWEmagma of any composition that cooled very rapidlyverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural HistorynounMWEthe scientific study of plants or animals (more observational than experimental) usually published in popular magazines rather than in academic journalsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural ImmunitynounMWEimmunity to disease that occurs as part of an individual's natural biologic makeupverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural LanguagenounMWEa human written or spoken language used by a communityverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural Language ProcessingnounMWEThe field concerned with machines capable of processing, analysing, and generating human language, either spoken, written or signed.CapabilityMay 18, 2026
Natural Language Processing ApplicationnounMWEAny operation or set of operations performed on personal data, whether or not by automated meansverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural Language ProcessornounMWENatural or legal person which processes personal data on behalf of the controllerverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural LawnounMWEa rule or body of rules of conduct inherent in human nature and essential to or binding upon human societyverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural LogarithmnounMWEa logarithm to the base everifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural NumbernounMWEthe number 1 and any other number obtained by adding 1 to it repeatedlyverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural ObjectnounMWEan object occurring naturallyverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural OrdernounMWEthe physical universe considered as an orderly system subject to natural (not human or supernatural) lawsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural PhenomenonnounMWEall phenomena that are not artificialverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural PhilosophynounMWEthe science of matter and energy and their interactionsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural ProcessnounMWEa process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings)verifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural ResinnounMWEa plant exudateverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural ResourcenounMWEresources (actual and potential) supplied by natureverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural RubbernounMWEan elastic material obtained from the latex sap of trees (especially trees of the genera Hevea and Ficus) that can be vulcanized and finished into a variety of productsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural SciencenounMWEthe sciences involved in the study of the physical world and its phenomenaverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural ScientistnounMWEa biologist knowledgeable about natural history (especially botany and zoology)verifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural SelectionnounMWEa natural process resulting in the evolution of organisms best adapted to the environmentverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural ShapenounMWEa shape created by natural forcesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural SpringnounMWEa natural flow of ground waterverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural StatenounMWEa wild primitive state untouched by civilizationverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural TheologynounMWEa theology that holds that knowledge of God can be acquired by human reason without the aid of divine revelationverifiedMay 18, 2026
Natural VirtuenounMWE(scholasticism) one of the four virtues (prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance) derived from natureverifiedMay 18, 2026
Naturalisationnounthe introduction of animals or plants to places where they flourish but are not indigenousverifiedMay 18, 2026
Naturalismnoun(philosophy) the doctrine that the world can be understood in scientific terms without recourse to spiritual or supernatural explanationsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Naturalistnounan advocate of the doctrine that the world can be understood in scientific termsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Naturalizationnounthe introduction of animals or plants to places where they flourish but are not indigenousverifiedMay 18, 2026
Naturalnessnounthe quality of being natural or based on natural principlesverifiedMay 18, 2026
naturenounThe basic or inherent qualities, characteristics, or features of something.candidateMay 9, 2026
Nature StudynounMWEthe study of animals and plants in the natural world (usually at an elementary level)verifiedMay 18, 2026
Nature WorshipnounMWEa system of religion that deifies and worships natural forces and phenomenaverifiedMay 18, 2026
Naturismnoungoing without clothes as a social practiceverifiedMay 18, 2026
Naturistnouna person who practices nudity for reasons of health or religionverifiedMay 18, 2026
Naturopathnouna therapist who practices naturopathyverifiedMay 18, 2026
Naturopathynouna method of treating disease using food and exercise and heat to assist the natural healing processverifiedMay 18, 2026
Nauchnounan intricate traditional dance in India performed by professional dancing girlsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Naughtnounthe point on a scale from which positive or negative numerical quantities can be measuredverifiedMay 18, 2026