Nod
/nɑd/noun
To lower and raise the head briefly, often as a sign of agreement or sleepiness.
Did you know?The English word comes from a Germanic root meaning “to bend” or “incline,” showing how even a simple nod is built from the body’s oldest language of power.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ned-
“to twist, bind, or knot”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*nudjaną
“to bend or incline”
Old English
OE
hnoddian
“to nod or bow the head”
Middle English
ME
nodden
“to make a brief movement of the head”
Modern English
English
nod
“to lower and raise the head briefly as a gesture”