The reason we use "no." here is because this abbreviation is borrowed from a Latin word--the abbreviation comes from Latin numero (meaning "by the number"), which does have an o in it. A similar thing happens with the "lb." abbreviation for "pound," which comes from Latin libra. Answer from aere-perennius on reddit.com
no
/nō/
adverb
  1. Used to express refusal, denial, disbelief, emphasis, or disagreement.
    No, I'm not going. No, you're wrong.
  2. Not at all; not by any degree. Often used with the comparative.
    no better; no more.
  3. Not.
    whether or no.
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition. More at Wordnik
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Merriam-Webster
merriam-webster.com › dictionary › no
NO Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
5 days ago - not; —used as a function word to express the negative of an alternative choice or possibility; in no respect or degree —used in comparisons… See the full definition
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Cambridge Dictionary
dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionary › english › no
NO | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary
2 weeks ago - NO meaning: 1. not any; not one; not a: 2. used in signs and on notices to show that something is not allowed…. Learn more.
Discussions

Why is the abbreviation for the word number “no.” in English, even though there is no letter O in the word number?
The reason we use "no." here is because this abbreviation is borrowed from a Latin word--the abbreviation comes from Latin numero (meaning "by the number"), which does have an o in it. A similar thing happens with the "lb." abbreviation for "pound," which comes from Latin libra. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/linguistics
72
262
September 28, 2020
What does "No" mean?
He's agreeing with Mr Pink's negativity on the subject. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/EnglishLearning
14
2
May 23, 2023
What does no meaning mean?
Now I understand, this is an online Q&A platform. ... Do you know how to improve your language skills❓ All you have to do is have your writing corrected by a native speaker! With HiNative, you can have your writing corrected by both native speakers and AI 📝✨. ... Could you please explain the meaning ... More on hinative.com
🌐 hinative.com
2
February 2, 2020
There is no meaning in life

There in no deffenite meaning. So make your own. Its like minecraft. There is no set goal, sure you can kill a dragon, but then what. Build a castle, make a cool sword, launch a nuke, who cares its fucking minecraft. Do that with you life. Make a purpose. If you sit around waiting for that purpose to hit you, youll be blown up by a creeper.

More on reddit.com
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September 18, 2018
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Dictionary.com
dictionary.com › browse › no
NO Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com
1 week ago - No definition: (a negative used to express dissent, denial, or refusal, as in response to a question or request).. See examples of NO used in a sentence.
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Vocabulary.com
vocabulary.com › dictionary › no
No - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com
No is the ultimate negative: it means "not any," or "not at all," and it's also used to express a generally negative response. If there's no milk for your cereal in the morning, there's not a drop left.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/linguistics › why is the abbreviation for the word number “no.” in english, even though there is no letter o in the word number?
r/linguistics on Reddit: Why is the abbreviation for the word number “no.” in English, even though there is no letter O in the word number?
September 28, 2020 - Latin word--the abbreviation comes from Latin numero (meaning "by the number"), which does have an o in it. A similar thing happens with the "lb." abbreviation for "pound," which comes from Latin libra. ... That’s an interesting comparison. I’m curious why the abbreviations have not been ...
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Pimsleur
pimsleur.com › blog home › language learning › what part of no don’t you understand? origins of the word “no”
What Part of No Don't You Understand? Origins of the Word "No" | The Pimsleur Language Blog
September 14, 2020 - In English, the word no dates back to Middle English and means “not in any degree, not at all, not ever.” Though it’s a short word with only two letters, it’s actually formed from two elements, the first being the PIE (proto Indo European) ...
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Dictionary.com
dictionary.com › browse › no-go
NO GO Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com
1 week ago - No go definition: not authorized or approved to proceed; canceled or aborted.. See examples of NO GO used in a sentence.
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Grammarly
grammarly.com › commonly-confused-words › know-vs-no
Know vs. No: What's the Difference?
Although know and no may sound identical, their meanings, usages, and grammatical functions are starkly different. Know encapsulates the act of understanding or being familiar with someone or something, functioning as a verb with different forms. On the other hand, no signifies refusal, negation, or the absence of anything and can operate as an adverb, a noun, and a determiner.
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Wiktionary
en.wiktionary.org › wiki › no
no - Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Ug no like veggie. ... When used humorously to mean “not” or “does not”, this word usually implies a caveman-like way of speaking.
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Wordsmyth
kids.wordsmyth.net › we
no | definition for kids | Wordsmyth Word Explorer Children's Dictionary; WILD dictionary K-2 | Wordsmyth
used to say that you refuse or that you do not agree with or accept something. : not at all; not any (used with the comparative form of an adjective). : a use, in speech or writing, of the word "no."... See the full definition
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Quora
quora.com › Whats-the-meaning-of-NO
What's the meaning of 'NO'? - Quora
Answer (1 of 32): No can be used in different structures to mean not any, the opposite of, not at all, to no extent, or to give a negative response. If you didn’t have negative words like no in the language, there would be no way to express ...
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TikTok
tiktok.com › teacher amy (@englishbetween) | tiktok › reply to @angelmanzanarez1 what is a “no-no”? #englishteacher #englishslang #americanslang #englishvocabulary #funenglish #ingles #fyp #inglese #esl
Reply to @angelmanzanarez1 What is a “no-no”? #englishteacher #englishslang #americanslang #englishvocabulary #funenglish #ingles #fyp #inglese #esl | TikTok
232 Likes, 21 Comments. TikTok video from Teacher Amy (@englishbetween): “Learn about the slang term 'no-no' in English, its literal and contextual meanings, and how it is used. #englishteacher #englishslang #americanslang #englishvocabulary #funenglish #ingles #esl”.
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Cambridge Dictionary
dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionary › essential-british-english › no
NO definition | Cambridge Essential English Dictionary
NO meaning: 1. something that you say in order to disagree, refuse something, or say that something is not…. Learn more.
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Merriam-Webster
merriam-webster.com › thesaurus › no
NO Synonyms: 168 Similar and Opposite Words | Merriam-Webster Thesaurus
November 4, 2025 - Synonyms for NO: never, nothing, none, slightly, in no wise, by no means, nothing doing, nowise; Antonyms of NO: however, ever, very, at all, anyway, half, completely, anyhow