nonentity

non·en·ti·ty

(nŏn-ĕn′tĭ-tē)

n. pl. non·en·ti·ties

1. A person regarded as being of no importance or significance.

2. Nonexistence.

3. Something that does not exist or that exists only in the imagination.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

nonentity

(ˌnɒnˈɛntɪtɪ)

n, pl -ties

1. an insignificant person or thing

2. a nonexistent thing

3. the state of not existing; nonexistence

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

non•en•ti•ty

(nɒnˈɛn tɪ ti)

n., pl. -ties.

1. a person or thing of no importance.

2. something that does not exist or exists only in imagination.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	nonentity - the state of not existing nonexistence nonbeing - the state of not being irreality, unreality - the state of being insubstantial or imaginary; not existing objectively or in fact nihility, nothingness, nullity, void - the state of nonexistence impossibility, impossibleness - incapability of existing or occurring
	2.	nonentity - a person of no influence nobody, cypher, cipher common man, common person, commoner - a person who holds no title pip-squeak, small fry, squirt - someone who is small and insignificant jackanapes, whippersnapper, lightweight - someone who is unimportant but cheeky and presumptuous

nonentity

noun nobody, lightweight (informal), mediocrity, cipher, small fry, non-person, unimportant person She was written off after that as a political nonentity.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

nonentity

noun

A totally insignificant person:

cipher, nebbish, nobody, nothing.

Informal: pip-squeak, zero.

Slang: shrimp, zilch.

Translations

nullit...

nonentity

[nɒˈnentɪtɪ] N (= person) → nulidad f, cero m a la izquierda

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

nonentity

[nɒˈnɛntɪti] n → personne f insignifiante
Grant came from a family of nonentities → Grant venait d'une famille de gens insignifiants.
She was written off then as a political nonentity → On la considérait alors comme une femme politique insignifiante.non-essential [ˌnɒnɪˈsɛnʃ^əl] nonessential (US)

adj [services, goods] → non essentiel(le)

n
nonessentials → l'accessoire m

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

nonentity

n (= person) → Nullität f, → unbedeutende Figur

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

nonentity

[nɒnˈɛntɪtɪ] n → persona insignificante, nullità f inv

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

References in classic literature ?

True, the slavery and abasement in which she held me might have given me (such things often do so) the power to question her with abrupt directness (seeing that,, inasmuch as I figured in her eyes as a mere slave and nonentity, she could not very well have taken offence at any rude curiosity); but the fact was that, though she let me question her, she never returned me a single answer, and at times did not so much as notice me.

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It was as if she enjoyed looking forward to something in which nothing, neither an unsympathetic mother, nor the cruel fate which had made her a colourless little nonentity, could prevent her from being the chief performer.

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"A nonentity, sir?" said Richard with a droll look.

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In the dialogue between master and servant the latter had appeared to him in the light of a nonentity; and although he regretted the fact, this revelation had lessened the high opinion that he had formed of the man whose persistent efforts to save the district from the horrors of cretinism had won his admiration.

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Miss Millward was there, it is true, but she, of course, would be little better than a nonentity. However, I resolved to make my visit a short one, and to talk to Eliza in a brotherly, friendly sort of way, such as our long acquaintance might warrant me in assuming, and which, I thought, could neither give offence nor serve to encourage false hopes.

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It is the name of a nonentity, and has no right to a place among first principles.

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It needed the utmost delicacy, the greatest nicety, but she has managed things so that that fool, that conceited baggage, that provincial nonentity, simply because she is the widow of a major, and has come to try and get a pension and to fray out her skirts in the government offices, because at fifty she paints her face (everybody knows it) .

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He clearly counted the latter as a nonentity. But suddenly he seemed to have an idea, and recollected himself.

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Perhaps before he exterminates that unfortunate nonentity he will condescend to give some reasons for the adverse views which he has formed."

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You are a vulgar, silly nonentity, and you shall go back to where you belong, whatever low place you have sprung from, and beg your bread--that is if anybody's charity will have anything to do with you, which I doubt--"

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"Intellectually a nonentity," Ossipon pronounced aloud, abandoning suddenly the inward contemplation of Mrs Verloc's bereaved person and business.

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She was a nonentity. It was easy to see that she was passionately devoted both to her husband and to her little son.