Origin of nonplus
Classical Latin non, not + plus, more: see plustransitive verb
-·plussed′ or -·plused′, -·plus′sing or -·plus′ingAn example of nonplus is being told to turn right on Fifth Street while approaching the intersection where North Fifth Street is to the left and South Fifth Street is to the right.
MLA Style
APA Style
Origin of nonplus
Classical Latin non, not + plus, more: see plustransitive verb
-·plussed′ or -·plused′, -·plus′sing or -·plus′ing
MLA Style
APA Style
transitive verb
non·plussed, non·plus·sing, non·plus·ses, also non·plused non·plus·ing non·plus·esnoun
Origin of nonplus
From Latin nōn plūs no more nōn not ; see non- . plūs more ; see pelə-1 in Indo-European roots.Usage Note: The verb nonplus, from the Latin phrase nōn plūs, “not more,” is well established with the meaning “to surprise and bewilder.” The verb and its participial adjective nonplussed often imply that the affected person is at a loss for words. This use of the word was acceptable to 90 percent of the Usage Panel in our 2013 survey in the sentence The scientists were completely nonplussed—the apparatus had not acted at all as they had expected. However, the word is frequently used to mean “to make indifferent, bore,” as if the plus part of the word meant “to overcome with excitement.” This usage is still controversial and should probably be avoided, since it may well be viewed as a mistake. In our 2013 survey, 57 percent of the Panel rejected the sentence The nine panelists showed little emotion during the broadcast and were generally nonplussed by the outcome. This percentage is almost unchanged from the 61 percent of the Panel who rejected the same sentence in 2001.
MLA Style
APA Style
(third-person singular simple present nonplusses, present participle nonplussing, simple past and past participle nonplussed)
From Latin nÅn plÅ«s (“no more, no further")
MLA Style
APA Style