nonic

Nonic is a term with limited broad usage, but it is best known in the world of glassware. The nonic pint refers to a beer glass shape widely used in Britain and Ireland. This glass is characterized by a slight outward bulge or circumferential ridge around the body, typically just below the rim. The ring or bulge, sometimes called a nonic ridge, is intended to improve grip and to aid stacking, helping to reduce chipping when glasses are stored or handled in busy pubs. A standard nonic pint holds about one imperial pint (20 fluid ounces) and is produced by many glass manufacturers. It is commonly marketed under names such as the “nonik” glass, reflecting variations in branding.

Aside from glassware, the word nonic is far less common in other contexts. As an adjective, it can mean relating to the ninth, derived from the Latin root nonus, but this usage is rare and largely obsolete in modern English. In most contemporary writing, the more precise term “ninth” is preferred.

In summary, the term nonic most often denotes the distinctive bulged pint glass associated with pub culture in the UK and Ireland, valued for grip and durability. Other uses exist only in niche or historical contexts and are not widely adopted in everyday language.