N

the fourteenth letter of the English alphabet, is a nasal consonant, and is formed by placing the end of the tongue against the root of the upper teeth, with the expulsion of a current of intonated or vocalized breath. Its principal sound is that heard in ban, done, noon, &c.; but when standing before g or k, or their equivalents, it has another sound, nearly represented by ng, as in finger, brink, &c. This is sometimes represented by ng, as in singer. When final after m, it is silent, as in hymn and condemn. See Principles of Pronunciation, §§ 81-83.