What does nowt mean?
Nowt is an informal northern British and Scots word meaning “nothing.” It can refer to no object or person, as in “I found nowt,” or indicate that no amount is involved, as in “There is nowt to fear.” Its use is especially associated with northern England, Scotland, and parts of the north of Ireland, although precise attitudes vary: in some communities it is simply the ordinary local word, while elsewhere it is recognized as a dialectal alternative to “nothing.” The expression is direct and unemphatic rather than literary, and it appears readily in conversation, informal writing, and regional storytelling. It should not be confused with “now,” which concerns the present moment. For readers outside northern Britain, “nowt” offers a compact example of how vocabulary can preserve a strong regional identity while expressing a basic English distinction with striking economy.
pronounNothing; no thing, person, or amount. It is an informal or dialectal form of “nothing,” especially associated with northern England and Scotland.
- Nothing; no thing, person, or amount.
"There’s nowt wrong with taking the long way home if the weather stays this bad."
"I heard nowt from the back of the hall."
"There’s nowt more to be done about it."
Nowt is the sound of northern English for nothing—short, blunt, and unmistakably local.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does nowt come from?
The word developed in Middle English as a shortened form of “naught,” ultimately from Old English nāwiht, meaning “nothing.” That Old English compound combined nā, meaning “no” or “not,” with wiht, meaning “thing” or “being.” The same fundamental elements survive in “nought,” “naught,” and “nothing,” while “nowt” reflects the reduced pronunciation common in northern dialects.
How nowt is actually used
The word is chiefly regional in northern England and Scotland. Within those areas it may be entirely normal, though many speakers also use the standard form “nothing.” In other parts of Britain it is usually regarded as informal or dialectal, and it is rarely used in formal writing.
Easily confused with nowt
“Nowt” means nothing, whereas “now” means at the present time or introduces a statement about the current situation.
“Nowt” is the informal northern form, while “nought” is the more formal or traditional spelling used in phrases such as “nought but truth.”