Thermal expansion anomaly studies on Nd (Fe,Mo)12 Nx (x=0,0.5,1) compounds were performed by means of x-ray and neutron diffractions. Before nitrogenation, only lattice parameter a shows abnormal thermal expansion below TC. In Nd (Fe,Mo)12 N0.5, both parameters a and c show abnormal thermal expansion below TC, while only c shows abnormal thermal expansion in the Nd (Fe,Mo)12 N compound. This shows that, with the increase in the N content, the anomaly gradually changes from in the ab plane to along the c axis. By analyzing the Ńel curve and the system energy, the anomaly was mainly attributed to the contribution of some strongly positive interactions, which is quite different from the previous explanation for thermal expansion anomalies. © 2007 American Institute of Physics;