not

Etymology

From Middle English not, nat, variant of noght, naht (“not, nothing”), from Old English *nōht, nāht (“nought, nothing”), short for nōwiht, nāwiht (“nothing”, literally “not anything”), corresponding to ne (“not”) + ōwiht, āwiht (“anything”), corresponding to ā (“ever, always”) + wiht (“thing, creature”). Cognate with Scots nat, naucht (“not”), Saterland Frisian nit (“not”), West Frisian net (“not”), Dutch niet (“not”), German nicht (“not”). Compare nought, naught and aught. More at no, wight, whit. Alternatively, from Middle English ne (“not”) or none + oughte (“ought, should”), with the latter reinforcing the former.

adv

1. Negates the meaning of the modified verb.
   People have got to know whether or not their president is a crook. Well, I'm not a crook. I've earned everything I've got. 1973 November 17, Richard Milhous Nixon, Orlando press conference
   I want to say one thing to the American people. I want you to listen to me. I'm going to say this again: I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky. 1998 January 26, William Jefferson Clinton, White House press conference
   Oh, Pete. This is not the gym. — That’s right, Anna. This is the mailroom. Audio (US) (file) 2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)
   ‘Do they know?’ ‘I believe not’ (formal)
   Did you take out the trash? No, I did not.
   Not knowing any better, I went ahead.
2. To no degree.
   That is not red; it's green.
   It's not you, it's me.
3. (litotes) Used to indicate the opposite or near opposite, often in a form of understatement.
   That day was not the best day of my life. (meaning the day was bad or awful)
   It was not my favorite movie of all time. (meaning the speaker dislikes or strongly dislikes the movie)
   In the not too distant future my view on the matter might be not a million miles away from yours.

conj

1. And not.
   I wanted a plate of shrimp, not a bucket of chicken.
   He painted the car blue and black, not solid purple.

intj

1. (slang) Used to indicate that the previous phrase was meant sarcastically or ironically.
   I really like hanging out with my little brother watching Barney … not!
   Sure, you’re perfect the way you are … not!
   "See?" "Uh-huh! Clear and lucid to the point of limpidity - 'not." 1949, E.E 'Doc' Smith, chapter XIV, in Skylark of Valeron, London: Panther, published 1974, page 134

noun

1. Alternative letter-case form of NOT