Online Etymology Dictionary

nankeen (n.): kind of cotton cloth, 1755, from Nanking, China, where it originally was made.
Nanking: city in China, literally "southern capital," from nan "south" + jing "capital."
nanny (n.): "children's nurse," 1795, from widespread child's word for "female adult other than mother" (compare Greek nanna "aunt"). The word also is a nickname form of the fem. proper name Ann, which probably is the sense in nanny goat (1788, compare billy goat). Nanny-house "brothel" is slang from c. 1700. Nanny state, in reference to overintrusive government policies is attested by 1987, the term associated with British political leader Margaret Thatcher, who criticized the tendency.
nanny (v.): "to be unduly protective," 1954, from nanny (n.). Related: Nannied; nannying.
nano-: introduced 1947 (at 14th conference of the Union Internationale de Chimie) as a prefix for units of one thousand-millionth part, from Greek nanos "a dwarf." According to Watkins, this is originally "little old man," from nannos "uncle," masc. of nanna "aunt" (see nana). Earlier it was used as a prefix to mean "dwarf, dwarfish," and still in a non-scientific sense of "very small."
nanometer (n.): also nanometre, 1963, from nano- + meter (n.2).
nanosecond (n.): 1959, from nano- + second (n.).
nanotechnology (n.): by 1974, from nano- + technology.
Nantucket: island off Massachusetts, early forms include Natocke, Nantican, Nautican; from an obscure southern New England Algonquian word, perhaps meaning "in the middle of waters." Related: Nantucketer.
Naomi: fem. proper name, biblical mother-in-law of Ruth, from Hebrew Na'omi, literally "my delight," from no'am "pleasantness, delightfulness," from stem of na'em "was pleasant, was lovely."
nap (n.1): "downy surface of cloth," mid-15c., from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German noppe "nap, tuft of wool," probably introduced by Flemish cloth-workers. Cognate with Old English hnoppian "to pluck," ahneopan "pluck off," Old Swedish niupa "to pinch," Gothic dis-hniupan "to tear."
nap (v.1): Old English hnappian "to doze, sleep lightly," of unknown origin, apparently related to Old High German hnaffezan, German dialectal nafzen, Norwegian napp. Related: Napped; napping.
nap (v.2): "to furnish with a nap, raise the nap of," 1610s, from nap (n.1).
nap (n.2): "short spell of sleep," c. 1300, from nap (v.). With take (v.) from c. 1400.
Napa: California county noted for wines, perhaps from a Southern Patwin (Wiuntun) word meaning "homeland."
napalm (n.): 1942, from na(phthenic) palm(itic) acids, used in manufacture of the chemical that thickens gasoline. The verb is 1950, from the noun. Related: Napalmed; napalming.
nape (n.): "back of the neck," c. 1300, of unknown origin, perhaps from Old French hanap "a goblet," in reference to the hollow at the base of the skull. "The entire absence of forms with initial k makes it difficult to connect the word with the apparently synonymous OFris (hals) knap [OED].
naphtha (n.): inflammable liquid distilled from petroleum, 1570s, from Latin, from Greek naphtha "bitumen," perhaps from Persian neft "pitch," or Aramaic naphta, nephta, but these could as well be from Greek. In Middle English as napte (late 14c.), from Old French napte, but the modern word is a re-introduction.
naphthalene (n.): 1821, coined by English chemist John Kidd (1775-1851), who first isolated and studied it, from naphtha + chemical suffix -ine (2) + -l- for the sake of euphony.
napkin (n.): late 14c., "a table napkin," from nape "a tablecloth" (from Old French nape "tablecloth, cloth cover, towel," from Latin mappa; see map (n.)) + Middle English -kin "little." No longer felt as a diminutive. The Old French diminutive was naperon (see apron). The shift of Latin -m- to -n- was a tendency in Old French (conter from computare, printemps from primum, natte "mat, matting," from matta). Middle English also had naperie "linen objects; sheets, tablecloths, napkins, etc.;" also, "place where the linens are kept."
Naples: city in southern Italy, Italian Napoli, founded by Greek coloniests 5c. B.C.E., from Greek Neapolis, literally "New City," from nea, fem. of neos "new" (see neo-) + polis "city" (see polis).
Napoleon: used in reference to various qualities and things associated with 19c. French emperors of that name, especially Napoleon I (Bonaparte) (1769-1821), such as a gold coin issued by his government and worth 20 francs. As a 12-pound artillery piece, in use in U.S. military from 1857 (in this case, from Napoleon III (1808-1873), under whose rule it was designed). As a type of boot, by 1860; as a card game, by 1876; as a type of rich cake, from 1892; as a type of good brandy, from 1930. The name also was applied by 1821 to anyone thought to have achieved domination in any field by ambition and ruthlessness. Napoleon complex in reference to aggressiveness by short people is attested by 1930. Related: Napoleonic.
napping (n.): "action of sleeping," Old English hneappunge, verbal noun from nap (v.).
nappy (adj.): "downy," late 15c., from nap (n.1) + -y (2). Meaning "fuzzy, kinky," used in colloquial or derogatory reference to the hair of black people, is from 1950.
narc (n.): 1967 (earlier narco, 1960), American English slang, shortened form of narcotics agent. Had been used 1955 for narcotics hospital, 1958 for narcotics addict. Sense and spelling tending to merge with older but unrelated nark (q.v.).
narcissism (n.): 1905, from German Narzissismus, coined 1899 (in "Die sexuellen Perversitäten"), by German psychiatrist Paul Näcke (1851-1913), on a comparison suggested 1898 by Havelock Ellis, from Greek Narkissos, name of a beautiful youth in mythology (Ovid, "Metamorphoses," iii.370) who fell in love with his own reflection in a spring and was turned to the flower narcissus (q.v.). Coleridge used the word in a letter from 1822.
But already Krishna, enamoured of himself, had resolved to experience lust for his own self; he manifested his own Nature in the cow-herd girls and enjoyed them. [Karapatri, "Lingopasana-rahasya," Siddhanta, II, 1941-2]
Sometimes erroneously as narcism.
narcissist (n.): 1930, from narcissism + -ist.
narcissistic (adj.): 1912, see narcissism + -istic. Sometimes erroneously as narcistic. Related: Narcissistically.
narcissus (n.): type of bulbous flowering plant, 1540s, from Latin narcissus, from Greek narkissos, a plant name, not the modern narcissus, possibly a type of iris or lily, perhaps from a pre-Greek Aegean word, but associated with Greek narke "numbness" (see narcotic) because of the sedative effect of the alkaloids in the plant.
narco-: word-forming element meaning "stupor, narcosis, sleep," from Latinized form of Greek narko-, comb. form of narke "numbness" (see narcotic (n.)).
narcolepsy (n.): 1880, from French narcolepsie, coined 1880 by French physician Jean-Baptiste-Édouard Gélineau (1859-1928) from Latinized form of Greek narke "numbness, stupor" (see narcotic) + lepsis "an attack, seizure," from leps-, future stem of lambanein "take hold of, grasp" (see analemma). Related: Narcoleptic; narcolept.
narcomania (n.): 1887, from narco- + mania.
narcosis (n.): 1690s, "state of unconsciousness caused by a narcotic," Modern Latin, from Greek narkosis, from narkoun "to benumb" (see narcotic (n.)).
narcotic (n.): late 14c., from Old French narcotique (early 14c.), noun use of adjective, and directly from Medieval Latin narcoticum, from Greek narkotikon, neuter of narkotikos "making stiff or numb," from narkotos, verbal adjective of narcoun "to benumb, make unconscious," from narke "numbness, deadness, stupor, cramp" (also "the electric ray"), perhaps from PIE root *(s)nerq- "to turn, twist." Sense of "any illegal drug" first recorded 1926, American English. Related: Narcotics.
narcotic (adj.): c. 1600, from Middle French narcotique (14c.) or German narkotisch and directly from Medieval Latin narcoticus, from Greek narkotikos (see narcotic (n.)). Related: Narcotical (1580s).
nard (n.): late 14c., from Old French narde (Modern French nard), from Latin nardus, from Greek nardos, of Eastern origin (compare Hebrew ner'd, plural n'radim; Arabic and Persian nardin, Sanskrit narada, nalada, name of an aromatic balsam).
nare (n.): "nostril," late 14c., singular of nares.
nares (n.): "nostrils," 1690s, from Latin nares, plural of naris "nostril," from PIE root *nas- (see nose (n.)).
narghile (n.): "oriental water pipe for smoking," 1839, from French narghileh, from Persian nargileh, from nargil "cocoa-nut," of which the bowl was originally made. The Persian word is probably from Sanskrit narikerah, which may be from a Dravidian source.
nark: 1859, "to act as a police informer" (v.); 1860, "police informer" (n.), probably from Romany nak "nose," from Hindi nak, from Sanskrit nakra, which probably is related to Sanskrit nasa "nose" (see nose (n.)). Sense and spelling tending to merge with etymologically unrelated narc (q.v.).
Narragansett: 1622, from southern New England Algonquian Naiaganset "(people) of the small point of land," containing nai- "a point or angle." Originally in reference to the native people, later to the place in Rhode Island.
narrate (v.): 1748, back-formation from narration or else from Latin narratus, past participle of narrare "to tell, relate, recount." "Richardson and Johnson call it Scottish" [OED], a stigma which kept it from general use until 19c. A few mid-17c. instances are traceable to Spanish narrar. Related: Narrated; narrating.
narration (n.): early 15c., from Old French narracion "account, statement, a relating, recounting, narrating, narrative tale," and directly from Latin narrationem (nominative narratio) "a relating, narrative," noun of action from past participle stem of narrare "to tell, relate, recount, explain," literally "to make acquainted with," from gnarus "knowing," from PIE suffixed zero-grade *gne-ro-, from root *gno- "to know" (see know).
narrative (adj.): mid-15c., from Middle French narratif, from Late Latin narrativus "suited to narration," from Latin narrat-, stem of narrare (see narration).
narrative (n.): "a tale, story," 1560s, from Middle French narrative and from narrative (adj.).
narrator (n.): 1610s, from Latin narrator "a relater, narrator, historian," agent noun from narrat-, stem of narrare "to tell, relate" (see narration). In sense of "a commentator in a radio program" it is from 1941.
narrow (adj.): Old English nearu "narrow, constricted, limited; petty; causing difficulty, oppressive; strict, severe," from West Germanic *narwaz "narrowness" (source also of Frisian nar, Old Saxon naru, Middle Dutch nare, Dutch naar); not found in other Germanic languages and of unknown origin. The narrow seas (c. 1400) were the waters between Great Britain and the continent and Ireland. Related: Narrowness.
narrow (v.): Old English nearwian "to force in, cramp, confine; become smaller, shrink;" see narrow (adj.). Related: Narrowed; narrowing.
narrow (n.): c. 1200, nearewe "narrow part, place, or thing," from narrow (adj.). Old English nearu (n.) meant "danger, distress, difficulty," also "prison, hiding place."
narrow-minded (adj.): also narrow minded, 1620s, from narrow (adj.) + minded. Related: Narrow-mindedness. Middle English had narrow-hearted "mean, ungenerous, ignoble" (c. 1200).