English
Pronunciation
- (stressed)
- (unstressed)
- IPA(key): /ən/
Audio (US), unstressed in the phrase "an egg" | | (file) |
- Homophone: in (in some accents)
Etymology 1
From Middle English an, from Old English ān (“a, an”, literally “one”).
Article
an (indefinite)
- Form of a (all article senses).
- Used before a vowel sound.
1898, Winston Churchill, chapter 2, in The Celebrity:Sunning himself on the board steps, I saw for the first time Mr. Farquhar Fenelon Cooke. He was dressed out in broad gaiters and bright tweeds, like an English tourist, and his face might have belonged to Dagon, idol of the Philistines.
- (now quite rare) Used before /h/ in an unstressed syllable.
- (nonstandard) Used before /h/ in a stressed syllable.
- (obsolete) Used before one and words with initial u, eu.
- (nonstandard, Britain, West Country) Used before all consonants.
Usage notes
- In standard English, the article an is used before vowel sounds, while a is used before consonant sounds. Alternatively, an can be found before an unstressed syllable beginning with an h-sound, as in an historic. The h may then become silent or is at least very weakly articulated. This usage is favoured by only 6% of British speakers, and is only slightly more common in writing.[1]
- Historically, an could also be found before one and many words with initial u, eu (now pronounced with initial /juː/, /jʊ/, /jə/), such as eunuch, unique, or utility. This is as these words formerly started with a vowel sound, though the writing of an before words spelt with initial u, eu continued up into the 19th century, long after these words had acquired initial consonant sounds in standard English.[2]
- In the other direction, a can rarely be found before a vowel in nonstandard (often dialectal) speech and written representations thereof, as in "ain't this a innerestin sitchation" (Moira Young, Blood Red Road).
- The various article senses of a are all senses of an.
Translations
See an/translations § Article.
Numeral
an
- (nonstandard, Britain, West Country) one
References
- ^ Fowler's Dictionary of Modern English Usage (2015, →ISBN, page 2: "Before words beginning with h [...] the standard modern approach is to use a (never an) together with an aspirated h [...], but not to demur if others use an with minimal or nil aspiration given to the following h (an historic /әn (h)ɪsˈtɒrɪk/, an horrific /әn (h)ɒˈrɪfɪk/, etc.)." Fowler's goes on to source the 6% figure to Wells (third edition, 2008).
- ^ “a, adj.”, in OED Online
, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, June 2008.
Etymology 2
From Middle English an.
Conjunction
an
- (archaic) If
- 1596-97, William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, Act I Scene 2:
- […] An the worst fall that ever fell, I hope I shall make shift to go without him.
- 1886-88, Richard F. Burton, The Supplemental Nights to the Thousand Nights and a Night:
- Thereupon, quoth he, "O woman, for sundry days I have seen thee attend the levée sans a word said; so tell me an thou have any requirement I may grant."
- (archaic) So long as.
An it harm none, do what ye will.
- (archaic) As if; as though.
Translations
Etymology 3
Borrowed from Georgian ან (an).
Noun
an (plural ans)
- The first letter of the Georgian alphabet, ა (Mkhedruli), Ⴀ (Asomtavruli) or ⴀ (Nuskhuri).
Etymology 4
From the Old English an, on (preposition).
Preposition
an
- In each; to or for each; per.
- I was only going twenty miles an hour.
Usage notes
- This is the same as the word a in such contexts, modified because of preceding an unpronounced h. The train was speeding along at a mile a minute.
Synonyms
Translations
in each; to or for each; per
References
Anagrams
Afrikaans
Preposition
an
- Obsolete form of aan.
AlbanianArinAromanianAzerbaijani
Etymology
From Arabic آن (ʾān).
Noun
an (definite accusative anı, plural anlar)
- moment
Declension
Derived terms
Bambara
Pronunciation
Pronoun
an
- we
Bikol Central
Article
an
- the
Pronoun
an
- (dialectal) that, it (near the person spoken to, but away from the speaker)
- Synonym: iyan
Bourguignon
Etymology 1
From Latin annus.
Noun
an m (plural ans)
- year
Derived terms
Etymology 2
From Latin in
Preposition
an
- in
Synonyms
Etymology 3
From Latin inde
Pronoun
an
- used to indicate an indefinite quantity, of it, of them
- J'an veus deus
- I want two of them
- J'an seus seur
- I am sure of it
Breton
Alternative forms
Article
an
- the
Chuukese
Determiner
an
- third person singular possessive; his, hers, its (used with general-class objects)
Related terms
Chuukese possessive determiners
Noun
an
- path, road
Cimbrian
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Middle High German ein, from Old High German ein, from Proto-Germanic *ainaz. Cognate with German ein, Dutch een, English one, Icelandic einn.
Article
an
- (Sette Comuni) a, an
an gamègalndar mann ― a married man
- (Luserna) oblique masculine of a
I hån an pruadar un a sbestar. ― I have a brother and a sister.
Declension
Conjunction
an
- (Sette Comuni) that (introduces a subordinate clause)
Khömme an dar sbaighe.- Tell him that he needs to shut up.
References
- “an” in Martalar, Umberto Martello; Bellotto, Alfonso, Dizionario della lingua Cimbra dei Sette Communi vicentini, 1st edition, Roana, Italy: Instituto di Cultura Cimbra A. Dal Pozzo, 1974
- “an” in Patuzzi, Umberto, ed., (2013) Ünsarne Börtar [Our Words], Luserna, Italy: Comitato unitario delle linguistiche storiche germaniche in Italia / Einheitskomitee der historischen deutschen Sprachinseln in Italien
CornishCrimean Tatar
Etymology
Ultimately from Arabic آن (ʾān).
Noun
an
- moment
Declension
Declension of an
nominative
|
an
|
---|
genitive
|
anniñ
|
---|
dative
|
ange
|
---|
accusative
|
anni
|
---|
locative
|
ande
|
---|
ablative
|
anden
|
---|
References
- Mirjejev, V. A.; Usejinov, S. M., Ukrajinsʹko-krymsʹkotatarsʹkyj slovnyk [Ukrainian – Crimean Tatar Dictionary][2], Simferopol: Dolya, 2002, →ISBN
DanishElfdalianEmilianFrenchFriulianFula
Determiner
an (singular)
- (possessive) Alternative form of am (my).
Usage notes
References
Fuyug
Noun
an (plural aning)
- man
References
- Robert L. Bradshaw, Fuyug grammar sketch (2007)
German
Etymology
From Old High German ana.
Pronunciation
Preposition
an (+ dative)
- (local) on; upon; at; in; against
Das Bild hängt an der Wand. ― The picture hangs on the wall.
- by; near; close to; next to
- (temporal) on; in; at
Am Dienstag. ― On Tuesday.
- (temporal) a; per; only used with the word Tag (“day”), otherwise use in
zweimal am Tag ― twice a day
an (+ accusative)
- on; onto
Ich hänge das Bild an die Wand. ― I hang the picture on the wall.
- at; against
Schauen Sie an die Tafel. ― Look at the blackboard.
- to; for
Ein Brief an Anna. ― A letter for Anna.
Usage notes
- Usually used to refer to something being on a vertical surface, as opposed to auf, which usually points to a horizontal surface.
- When followed by the masculine/neuter definite article in the dative case (i.e. dem (“the”)), the two words can contract to am (“on the”).
- When followed by the neuter definite article in the accusative case (i.e. das (“the”)), the two words can contract to ans (“on the”).
Adverb
an
- onward; on
von heute an ― from today on
Derived terms
Anagrams
Girawa
Noun
an
- water
Further reading
- Patricia Lillie, Girawa Dictionary
Gothic
Romanization
an
- Romanization of 𐌰𐌽
Haitian Creole
Etymology 1
From French un.
Article
an
- the (definite article)
Usage notes
Use this word when:
- It modifies a singular noun, and
- It is preceded by a word that ends with either:
See also
Etymology 2
From French an (“year”)
Noun
an
- year
Synonyms
Ido
Etymology
Borrowed from English on, German an. Decision no. 759, Progreso V.
Pronunciation
Preposition
an
- at, on (indicates contiguity, juxtaposition)
Me pendis pikturi an la parieto. ― I hung paintings on the wall.
Derived terms
References
- Progreso IV (in Ido), 1911–1912, pages 409, 523, 591, 622
- Progreso V (in Ido), 1912–1913, page 659
Irish
Etymology 1
From Old Irish in, from Proto-Celtic *sindos.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ənˠ/, (between consonants) /ə/, (before a/á, o/ó, u/ú) /ə.nˠ-/, (before e/é, i/í) /ə.n̠ʲ-/
Article
an
- the
an t-uisce ― the water
an bhean ― the woman
an pháiste ― of the child
ag an gcailín/chailín ― at the girl
Declension
Case
|
Masculine singular
|
Feminine singular
|
Plural
|
---|
Nominative
|
anT |
anL |
naH |
---|
Genitive
|
anL |
naH |
naE |
---|
Dative
|
anD |
anD |
naH |
---|
D: Triggers lenition after de, do, and i (except of d, t), no mutation with idir, and eclipsis otherwise (varies by dialect); s lenites to ts; s always lenites with feminine nouns, even with prepositions that normally trigger eclipsis, but does not lenite at all with masculine nouns E: Triggers eclipsis H: Triggers h-prothesis L: Triggers lenition (except of d, t; s lenites to ts) T: Triggers t-prothesis
|
Etymology 2
From Old Irish in.
Pronunciation
- (preverbal particle): IPA(key): (before a consonant) /ə/, (before a/á, o/ó, u/ú) /ə.nˠ-/, (before e/é, i/í) /ə.n̠ʲ-/
- (copular particle): IPA(key): /ənˠ/, (before é, ea, í, iad) /ə.n̠ʲ-/
Particle 1
an (triggers eclipsis; takes the dependent form of irregular verbs if available; not used in the past tense except of some irregular verbs)
- Used to form direct and indirect questions
An bhfuil tú ag éisteacht? ― Are you listening?
Níl a fhios agam an bhfuil sé anseo. ― I don’t know if/whether he is here.
Related terms
- ar (used with the past tense of regular and some irregular verbs)
Particle 2
an
- used to introduce copular questions, both direct and indirect, in the present/future tense
An maith leat bainne? ― Do you like milk?
Níl a fhios agam an é Conchúr a chonaic mé. ― I don’t know if it’s Connor whom I saw.
Related terms
Irish copular forms
Simple copular forms
Present/future
|
---|
|
Affirmative |
Negative |
Interrogative |
Neg. inter.
|
---|
Main clauses
|
is |
ní |
an |
nach
| Direct relative clauses
|
nach
|
|
---|
Indirect relative clauses |
ar, arbv | Other subordinate clauses |
gur, gurbv |
an |
nach
| Past/conditional
|
---|
|
Affirmative |
Negative |
Interrogative |
Neg. inter.
|
---|
Main clauses |
ba, b’v |
níor, níorbhv |
ar, arbhv |
nár, nárbhv | Direct relative clauses |
ba, abv |
nár, nárbhv |
|
---|
Indirect relative clauses |
ar, arbhv | Other subordinate clauses |
gur, gurbhv |
ar, arbhv |
nár, nárbhv | Present subjunctive
|
|
---|
|
Affirmative |
Negative
|
---|
gura, gurabv |
nára, nárabv |
|
|
Compound copular forms
Base word |
Present/future |
Past/conditional
|
---|
má |
más |
má ba, má b’v | ó (“since”) |
ós |
ó ba, ó b’v | dá
|
|
dá mba, dá mb’v |
---|
mura |
mura, murabv |
murar, murarbhv | cé |
cér, cérbv |
cér, cérbhv | cá |
cár, cárbv |
cár, cárbhv | de/do |
dar, darbv |
dar, darbhv | faoi |
faoinar, faoinarbv |
faoinar, faoinarbhv | i |
inar, inarbv |
inar, inarbhv | le |
lenar, lenarbv |
lenar, lenarbhv | ó (“from”) |
ónar, ónarbv |
ónar, ónarbhv | trí |
trínar, trínarbv |
trínar, trínarbhv |
|
v Used before vowel sounds
|
Etymology 3
Verb
an (present analytic anann, future analytic anfaidh, verbal noun anacht, past participle anta)
- (transitive, intransitive) Alternative form of fan (“stay, wait, remain”)
Conjugation
|
singular
|
plural
|
relative
|
autonomous
|
---|
first
|
second
|
third
|
first
|
second
|
third
|
---|
indicative
|
present
|
anaim
|
anann tú; anair† |
anann sé, sí
|
anaimid
|
anann sibh
|
anann siad; anaid† |
a anann; a anas / a n-anann*; a n-anas*
|
antar
|
---|
past
|
d'an mé; d'anas / an mé‡; anas‡
|
d'an tú; d'anais / an tú; anais‡
|
d'an sé, sí / an sé, sí‡
|
d'anamar; d'an muid / anamar; an muid‡
|
d'an sibh; d'anabhair / an sibh; anabhair‡
|
d'an siad; d'anadar / an siad; anadar‡
|
a d'an / ar an*
|
anadh; hanadh† |
---|
past habitual
|
d'anainn / anainn‡; n-anainn‡‡
|
d'antá / antá‡; n-antᇇ
|
d'anadh sé, sí / anadh sé, sí‡; n-anadh sé, s퇇
|
d'anaimis; d'anadh muid / anaimis; anadh muid‡; n-anaimis‡‡; n-anadh muid‡‡
|
d'anadh sibh / anadh sibh‡; n-anadh sibh‡‡
|
d'anaidís; d'anadh siad / anaidís; anadh siad‡; n-anaidís‡‡; n-anadh siad‡‡
|
a d'anadh / a n-anadh*
|
d'antaí / antaí‡; n-anta퇇
|
---|
future
|
anfaidh mé; anfad
|
anfaidh tú; anfair† |
anfaidh sé, sí
|
anfaimid; anfaidh muid
|
anfaidh sibh
|
anfaidh siad; anfaid† |
a anfaidh; a anfas / a n-anfaidh*; a n-anfas*
|
anfar
|
---|
conditional
|
d'anfainn / anfainn‡; n-anfainn‡‡
|
d'anfá / anfá‡; n-anfᇇ
|
d'anfadh sé, sí / anfadh sé, sí‡; n-anfadh sé, s퇇
|
d'anfaimis; d'anfadh muid / anfaimis‡; anfadh muid‡; n-anfaimis‡‡; n-anfadh muid‡‡
|
d'anfadh sibh / anfadh sibh‡; n-anfadh sibh‡‡
|
d'anfaidís; d'anfadh siad / anfaidís‡; anfadh siad‡; n-anfaidís‡‡; n-anfadh siad‡‡
|
a d'anfadh / a n-anfadh*
|
d'anfaí / anfaí‡; n-anfa퇇
|
---|
subjunctive
|
present
|
go n-ana mé; go n-anad† |
go n-ana tú; go n-anair† |
go n-ana sé, sí
|
go n-anaimid; go n-ana muid
|
go n-ana sibh
|
go n-ana siad; go n-anaid† |
—
|
go n-antar
|
---|
past
|
dá n-anainn
|
dá n-antá
|
dá n-anadh sé, sí
|
dá n-anaimis; dá n-anadh muid
|
dá n-anadh sibh
|
dá n-anaidís; dá n-anadh siad
|
—
|
dá n-antaí
|
---|
imperative
|
anaim
|
an
|
anadh sé, sí
|
anaimis
|
anaigí; anaidh† |
anaidís
|
—
|
antar
|
---|
verbal noun
|
anacht
|
---|
past participle
|
anta
|
---|
* Indirect relative
† Archaic or dialect form
‡ Dependent form
‡‡ Dependent form used with particles that trigger eclipsis (except an)
Etymology 4
Particle
an
- Alternative form of a (used before numbers when counting)
Mutation
Irish mutation
|
---|
Radical |
Eclipsis |
with h-prothesis |
with t-prothesis
|
---|
an
|
n-an
|
han
|
not applicable
|
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.
|
Further reading
- "an" in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, An Gúm, 1977, by Niall Ó Dónaill.
- “in”, in Gregory Toner, Maire Ní Mhaonaigh, Sharon Arbuthnot, Dagmar Wodtko, Maire-Luise Theuerkauf, editors, eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, 2019
- Entries containing “an” in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm, 1959, by Tomás de Bhaldraithe.
- Entries containing “an” in New English-Irish Dictionary by Foras na Gaeilge.
Japanese
Romanization
an
- Rōmaji transcription of あん
LadinLatin
Etymology
From Proto-Italic *an, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂en. Cognate with Lithuanian angu (“or”), Gothic 𐌰𐌽 (an, “so? now?”). May also be related to Ancient Greek ἄν (án, particle), Sanskrit अना (anā́), Avestan 𐬀𐬥𐬁 (anā), Lithuanian anàs, Albanian a, Proto-Slavic *onъ.[1]
Pronunciation
Conjunction
an
- or, or whether (A conjunction that introduces the second part of a disjunctive interrogation, or a phrase implying doubt.)
- in disjunctive interrogations
- direct
- (introduced by utrum (“whether”))
- (introduced by -ne (interrogative enclitic))
- (introduced by nonne (“[is it] not”))
- (introduced by num (interrogative particle))
- (without an introductory particle)
- indirect
- (introduced by utrum (“whether”))
- (introduced by -ne, interrogative enclitic)
- (introduced by an)
- (without an introductory particle)
- or rather, or on the contrary (where the opinion of the speaker or the probability inclines to the second interrogative clause, and this is made emphatic, as a corrective of the former)
- hence, in the comic poets, as an potius
- or, or rather, or indeed, or perhaps (where, as is frequent, the first part of the interrogation is not expressed, but is to be supplied from the context, an begins the interrogation, but it does not begin an absolute – i.e., non-disjunctive – interrogation)
- (in the phrase an nōn) or not
- in direct questions
- in indirect questions
- (in the phrase an ne) pleonastic usage for an
- in direct questions
- in indirect questions
- (in disjunctive clauses that express doubt) or
- ?
- denoting uncertainty by itself, without a verb of doubting
- (chiefly in and after the Augustean period) standing for sīve
- where the first disjunctive clause is to be supplied from the general idea or where an stands for utrum or necne
- Since in such distributive sentences expressive of doubt, the opinion of the speaker or the probability usually inclines to the second, i.e. to the clause beginning with an, the expressions haud sciō an, nesciō an, and dubitō an incline to an affirmative signification, “I almost know”, “I am inclined to think”, “I almost think”, “I might say”, “I might assert that”, etc., for “perhaps”, “probably”.
- Sometimes the distributive clause beginning with an designates directly the opposite, the more improbable, the negative; in which case nesciō an, haud sciō an, etc., like the English I know not whether, signify “I think that not”, “I believe that not”, etc.
Usage notes
- Used with utrum (“whether”) in the construction utrum...an (“whether...or”):
- Nescio quid intersit, utrum nunc veniam, an ad decem annos.
- I know not what matter it is, whether I come now or after ten years.
Derived terms
References
- ăn in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1879
- an in Gaffiot, Félix, Dictionnaire illustré Latin-Français, Hachette, 1934
- Carl Meissner; Henry William Auden, Latin Phrase-Book[3], London: Macmillan and Co., 1894
- to offer a person the alternative of... or..: optionem alicui dare, utrum...an
- it is a debated point whether... or..: in contentione ponitur, utrum...an
- it is a difficult point, disputed question: magna quaestio est (followed by an indirect question)
- to keep, celebrate a festival: diem festum agere (of an individual)
- ^ De Vaan, Michiel, Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7)[1], Leiden, Boston: Brill, 2008, →ISBN
Loniu
Noun
an
- fresh water
References
- Malcolm Ross, Andrew Pawley, Meredith Osmond, The Lexicon of Proto-Oceanic →ISBN, 2007)
- Blust's Austronesian Comparative Dictionary (as ʔan)
Low German
Etymology
From Middle Low German an, from Old Saxon an, ana, from Proto-Germanic *an, *ana.
Pronunciation
- Rhymes: -an
- IPA(key): /an/, /aːn/, /ɒːn/, /ɔːn/
Preposition
an
- on
- to, at
Inflection
Pronominal adverbs of an
preposition
|
an
|
---|
postpositional adv.
|
an
|
---|
+ her (hither)
|
ran
|
---|
+ düt (this)
|
hieran
|
---|
+ dat (that)
|
doran
|
---|
+ wat (what)
|
woran
|
---|
+ wat (something)
|
enerwegens an
|
---|
+ nix (nothing)
|
nargens an
|
---|
+ allens (everything)
|
överall an
|
---|
Neither the spelling nor grammar of these forms applies to all, or even necessarily the majority, of dialects.
Adverb
an
- on
See also
LuxembourgishMandarin
Romanization
an
- Nonstandard spelling of ān.
- Nonstandard spelling of án.
- Nonstandard spelling of ǎn.
- Nonstandard spelling of àn.
Usage notes
- English transcriptions of Mandarin speech often fail to distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without the appropriate indication of tone.
Middle Dutch
Pronunciation
Preposition
an
- Alternative form of āne
Middle EnglishMiddle FrenchMiddle Welsh
Pronunciation
Determiner
an
- Alternative form of yn
MirandeseMòchenoNormanNorthern KurdishNorwegian BokmålNovial
Preposition
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- at, on, next to or contiguous with something
OccitanOld English
Etymology
From Proto-West Germanic *ain.
Germanic cognates include Old Frisian ān, Old Saxon ēn, Old High German ein, Old Norse einn, Gothic 𐌰𐌹𐌽𐍃 (ains). The Indo-European root is also the source of Latin ūnus, Ancient Greek οἶος (oîos), Old Irish oen.
Pronunciation
Numeral
ān
- one
Ġif weorold on būtan ānum þinge stōde and on nāwihte elles, meahte man cweðan þæt ān þing wǣre?- If the world consisted of one thing and nothing else, could we say that there was one thing?
- c. 990, Wessex Gospels, Mark 14:37
Þā cōm hē and fand hīe slǣpende, and cwæþ tō Petre, "Simon, slǣpst þū? Ne meahtest þū āne tīd wacian?"- Then he came and found them asleep, and said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Couldn't you stay awake for one hour?"
- early 12th century, the Peterborough Chronicle, year 1100
- On morgen æfter Hlāfmæssedæġe wearþ sē cyning Willelm on huntoþe fram his ānum menn mid āne flāne ofsċoten.
- On the morning after Lammas day, King William was out hunting when he was shot with an arrow by one of his servants.
Declension
Article
ān
- a; an (indefinite article)
Adjective
ān
- only
Nān ġemǣru ne sind, ac menn āne.- There are no borders, only people.
Mæġ man sprecan be talum ġif þing ān sind?- Can we speak of numbers if there are only things?
- c. 995, Ælfric, Extracts on Grammar in English
Āne twā word sind þǣre fēorðan ġeþīednesse: eō ("iċ gange"), īs ("þū gǣst"); queō ("iċ mæġ"), quīs ("þū meaht").- Only two words follow the fourth declension: eo ("I go"), is ("you go"); queo ("I can"), quis ("you can").
- c. 990, Wessex Gospels, John 5:18
Þæs þe mā þā Iudēiscan sōhton hine tō ofslēanne, næs nā for þon āne þe hē þone restedæġ bræc, ac for þon þe hē cwæþ þæt God wǣre his fæder, and hine selfne dyde Gode ġelīcne.- That made the Jews try even harder to kill him, not just for breaking the Sabbath, but for saying God was his father, and making himself equal to God.
- alone
Ne eart þū ġenōg eald þæt þū āna on sund gā.- You're not old enough to go swimming by yourself.
Sē ūðwita, swā swā sē bēatere, sċeal standan āna.- A philosopher, like a boxer, must stand alone.
Hē stōd æt þǣre sǣ rande, āna, sundor fram his swǣsum.- He stood at the edge of the sea, alone, apart from his family.
Sē mōna ēode tō setle and þæt seofonstierre. Hit is midniht, and sēo tīd āgǣþ, ac iċ slǣpe āna.- The moon and the Pleiades have set. It is midnight, and the time is passing, but I sleep alone.
- late 10th century, Ælfric, "St. Benedict, Abbot"
Gang nū tō mynstre ġif þū mæġe, and mē āna forlǣt.- Now go to the monastery if you can, and leave me alone.
- c. 995, Ælfric, Extracts on Grammar in English
Fōresetnessa ne bēoþ nāhwǣr āna, ac bēoþ ǣfre tō sumum ōðrum worde ġefēġeda.- Prepositions never occur by themselves: they are always attached to some other word.
Usage notes
In the above senses ("only" and "alone"), this word was often used in the weak declension, often indeclinably as āna.
Declension
Declension of ān — Strong
Noun
ān n
- one (digit or figure)
Declension
Declension of an (strong-a-stem)
Derived terms
Descendants
Old French
Etymology
From Latin annus.
Noun
an m (oblique plural anz, nominative singular anz, nominative plural an)
- year
Related terms
Descendants
- Middle French: an
- Norman: an
Old Irish
Pronoun
an (triggers eclipsis, takes a leniting relative clause)
- Alternative form of a
- c. 800–825, Diarmait, Milan Glosses on the Psalms, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1987, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. I, pp. 7–483, Ml. 112b13
Is demniu liunn a n-ad·chiam hua sulib ol·daas an ro·chluinemmar hua chluasaib.- What we see with the eyes is more certain for us than what we hear with the ears.
Verb
·an
- third-person singular preterite conjunct of anaid
an
- second-person singular imperative of anaid
Mutation
Old Irish mutation
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---|
Radical |
Lenition |
Nasalization
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---|
an
|
unchanged
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n-an
|
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.
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Old Occitan
Etymology
From Latin annus (“year”).
Noun
an m (oblique plural ans, nominative singular ans, nominative plural an)
- year
Descendants
Old SaxonRomanianRomansch
Alternative forms
- (Rumantsch Grischun, Sursilvan, Surmiran) onn
- (Sutsilvan, Vallader) on
Etymology
From Latin annus.
Noun
an m (plural ans)
- (Puter) year
Scots
Etymology 1
From Old English and, ond, end (“and”), from Proto-Germanic *andi, *anþi, *undi, *unþi (“and, furthermore”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂énti (“facing opposite, near, in front of, before”). Cognate with English and, North Frisian en (“and”), West Frisian en, in (“and”), Low German un (“and”), Dutch en (“and”), German und (“and”), Danish end (“but”), Swedish än (“yet, but”), Icelandic enn (“still, yet”), Albanian edhe (“and”) (dialectal ênde, ênne), ende (“still, yet, therefore”), Latin ante (“opposite, in front of”), and Ancient Greek ἀντί (antí, “opposite, facing”).
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
Conjunction
an
- and
Derived terms
Etymology 2
From Middle English oon, from Old English ān (“one”), from Proto-Germanic *ainaz, from Proto-Indo-European *óynos. Cognate to English an.
Pronunciation
Article
an
- (before a vowel) a, an
Usage notes
- In colloquial usage mostly replaced by a. However, still widely used in literature, probably due to English influence. [1]
Synonyms
References
^ https://dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/a_indef_art
Scottish Gaelic
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From Old Irish in.
Article
an
- the
Declension
Masculine Singular Definite Article
|
Begins with f
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Begins with m, p, b
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Begins with c, g
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Begins with sV, sl, sn, sr
|
Begins with d, t, l, n, r, sg, sm, sp, st
|
Begins with a vowel
|
---|
Nominative
|
am
|
am
|
an
|
an
|
an
|
an t-
|
---|
Dative/Genitive
|
an+L |
a'+L |
a'+L |
an t-
|
an
|
an
|
---|
Feminine Singular Definite Article
|
Begins with f
|
Begins with m, p, b
|
Begins with c, g
|
Begins with sV, sl, sn, sr
|
Begins with d, t, l, n, r, sg, sm, sp, st
|
Begins with a vowel
|
---|
Nominative/Dative
|
an+L |
a'+L |
a'+L |
an t-
|
an
|
an
|
---|
Genitive
|
na
|
na
|
na
|
na
|
na
|
na h-
|
---|
Plural Definite Article
|
Begins with f, m, p , b
|
Begins with any other consonant
|
Begins with a vowel
|
---|
Nominative/Dative
|
na
|
na
|
na h-
|
---|
Genitive
|
nam
|
nan
|
nan
|
---|
Usage notes
An is the most common singular form. The most common plural form is na.
See also
Etymology 2
From Old Irish a.
Pronoun
an
- their
Usage notes
- This form of possessive pronoun is not used before nouns beginning with b, f, m or p, where am is used instead.
Etymology 3
From Old Irish i, from Proto-Celtic *en.
Preposition
an
- in
Usage notes
- This form is not used before nouns beginning with b, f, m or p, where ann am is used instead.
Synonyms
Derived terms
- The following prepositional pronouns (or ‘conjugated prepositions’):
References
- “an” in Edward Dwelly, Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan/The Illustrated [Scottish] Gaelic–English Dictionary, 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, 1911, →ISBN.
- “2 a”, in Gregory Toner, Maire Ní Mhaonaigh, Sharon Arbuthnot, Dagmar Wodtko, Maire-Luise Theuerkauf, editors, eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, 2019
- “i”, in Gregory Toner, Maire Ní Mhaonaigh, Sharon Arbuthnot, Dagmar Wodtko, Maire-Luise Theuerkauf, editors, eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, 2019
- “in”, in Gregory Toner, Maire Ní Mhaonaigh, Sharon Arbuthnot, Dagmar Wodtko, Maire-Luise Theuerkauf, editors, eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, 2019
SirayaSwedish
Etymology
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Adverb
an
- used as a verb particle, similar to German preposition an (“at, in, on, to”)
Related terms
Preposition
an
- (accounting) to
Anagrams
Torres Strait CreoleTurkishVietnamese
Etymology
Sino-Vietnamese word from 安 (“tranquil”).
Pronunciation
Adjective
an
- (only in compounds) safe, secure
Derived terms
Further reading
Vilamovian
Pronunciation
Conjunction
an
- and
Related terms
Numeral
ān
- one
Related terms