Nun and none are two words that are pronounced in the same manner but are spelled differently and have different meanings. They are homophones. We will examine the difference between the definitions of nun and none, where these words came from and some examples of their use in sentences.
A nun is a woman who belongs to a religious congregation, especially one in which the woman takes a vow of poverty, chastity and obedience. Nuns are most commonly Roman Catholic, though other religions also include nuns such as Orthodox Catholics, Lutherans and Buddhists. Different orders of nuns have different missions. Some nuns work among the poor, some work in health care while others are cloistered into closed communities where they pray. The word nun comes from the Latin word nonne, meaning tutor or nun. The plural form of nun is nuns.
None means not any, no one, not any at all, not even one. None may be used as a pronoun or as an adverb. The word none comes from the Old English word nān which means not any, not one. The plural form of none is none.
Examples
So I found myself in the tiny bedroom of this 93-year-old Ethiopian composer-pianist-nun, croaking my way through the verses of a Robert Burns song. (The Guardian)
As the conflict in Syria rages on, a Salesian nun honored by the White House as a “Woman of Courage” said that no matter who is in charge, as long as they work for peace they have her vote. (The National Catholic Register)
“It currently appears as though none of the party top brass want Khadse back,” said a party insider. (The Hindustan Times)
We should not be adding questions to the survey that are none of the government’s business. (The New Hampshire Union Leader)