"knob, lump, bump, protuberance," 1590s, variant of dialectal knub, which is probably a variant of knob. Figurative meaning "point, gist" is attested by 1834.
a nub of coal
the nub of the story
noxious
nozzle
nth
nuance
nuanced
nub
nubbin
nubby
Nubia
Nubian
nubile
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