an

English Wikipedia has an article on:

an

Wikipedia

Pronunciation

• (stressed)
  • IPA^(key): /æn/

  • Audio (US)

    (file)

  • Rhymes: -æn
• (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)

1. Form of a (all article senses).
   1. 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.

   2. (now quite rare) Used before /h/ in an unstressed syllable.
   3. (nonstandard) Used before /h/ in a stressed syllable.
   4. (obsolete) Used before one and words with initial u, eu.
   5. (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

1. (nonstandard, Britain, West Country) one

References

Etymology 2

From Middle English an.

Conjunction

an

1. (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."

2. (archaic) So long as.

   An it harm none, do what ye will.

3. (archaic) As if; as though.
   • 1797, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancyent Marinere (original version), 61-64:

     At length did cross an Albatross, / Thorough the Fog it came; / And an it were a Christian Soul, / We hail'd it in God's Name.

Translations

Etymology 3

Borrowed from Georgian ან (an).

Noun

an (plural ans)

1. 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

1. 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

• per

Translations

References

• an in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Anagrams

• N.A., N/A, NA, n.a., n/a, na

Preposition

an

1. Obsolete form of aan.

Etymology

Possibly a metaphorical use of anë (“vessel”).

Noun

an m (definite singular ani)

1. (anatomy) womb, caul

   Synonym: mitër

2. (anatomy) joint
3. (dialectal) room, vessel
4. (dialectal, Italy) ship

Related terms

• anë

Noun

an

1. haunch

Etymology

From Latin annus. Compare Romanian an.

Noun

an n (plural anji)

1. year

Etymology

From Arabic آن‎ (ʾān).

Noun

an (definite accusative anı, plural anlar)

1. moment

Declension

Derived terms

• hər anda
• anlıq

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [án]

Pronoun

an

1. we

Article

an

1. the

Pronoun

an

1. (dialectal) that, it (near the person spoken to, but away from the speaker)

   Synonym: iyan

Etymology 1

From Latin annus.

Noun

an m (plural ans)

1. year

Derived terms

• annaie

Etymology 2

From Latin in

Preposition

an

1. in

Synonyms

• an-dians
• dans

Etymology 3

From Latin inde

Pronoun

an

1. 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

Alternative forms

• ar
• al

Article

an

1. the

Determiner

an

1. third person singular possessive; his, hers, its (used with general-class objects)

Related terms

Noun

an

1. path, road

Alternative forms

• a (Luserna)

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

1. (Sette Comuni) a, an

   an gamègalndar mann ― a married man

2. (Luserna) oblique masculine of a

   I hån an pruadar un a sbestar. ― I have a brother and a sister.

Declension

Conjunction

an

1. (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

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Article

an

1. the (definite article)

Etymology

Ultimately from Arabic آن‎ (ʾān).

Noun

an

1. moment

Declension

References

• Mirjejev, V. A.; Usejinov, S. M., Ukrajinsʹko-krymsʹkotatarsʹkyj slovnyk [Ukrainian – Crimean Tatar Dictionary]‎^[2], Simferopol: Dolya, 2002, →ISBN

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Middle Low German an and Danish an, from Proto-Germanic *ana (“on, at”), cognate with English on and Danish å, Danish på.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈan]

Adverb

an

1. on (only used in lexicalized expressions)

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the main entry.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈæˀn]

Verb

an

1. imperative of ane

Etymology

From Old Norse hann. Cognate with Swedish han.

Pronoun

an m

1. he

Emiliano-Romagnolo Wikipedia has an article on:

an

Wikipedia ^eml

Etymology

From Latin annus.

Noun

an m

1. year

Etymology

From Old French, from Latin annus, from Proto-Italic *atnos, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂et-no-, probably from *h₂et- (“to go”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɑ̃/

• audio

  (file)

Noun

an m (plural ans)

1. year

Synonyms

• année

Further reading

• “an” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Anagrams

• n'a

Etymology

From Latin annus.

Noun

an m (plural agns)

1. year

Determiner

an (singular)

1. (possessive) Alternative form of am (my).

Usage notes

• Used in Pular.

References

• Oumar Bah, Dictionnaire Pular-Français, Avec un index français-pular, Webonary.org, SIL International, 2014.

Noun

an (plural aning)

1. man

References

• Robert L. Bradshaw, Fuyug grammar sketch (2007)

Etymology

From Old High German ana.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʔan/

• audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -an

Preposition

an (+ dative)

1. (local) on; upon; at; in; against

   Das Bild hängt an der Wand. ― The picture hangs on the wall.

2. by; near; close to; next to
3. (temporal) on; in; at

   Am Dienstag. ― On Tuesday.

4. (temporal) a; per; only used with the word Tag (“day”), otherwise use in

   zweimal am Tag ― twice a day

an (+ accusative)

1. on; onto

   Ich hänge das Bild an die Wand. ― I hang the picture on the wall.

2. at; against

   Schauen Sie an die Tafel. ― Look at the blackboard.

3. 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

1. onward; on

   von heute an ― from today on

Derived terms

• (an + dem) am
• (an + das) ans
• anhin
• wohlan, wolan

Anagrams

• na

Noun

an

1. water

Further reading

• Patricia Lillie, Girawa Dictionary

Romanization

an

1. Romanization of 𐌰𐌽

Etymology 1

From French un.

Article

an

1. 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:
  • A nasal vowel, or
  • A nasal consonant and an oral (non-nasal) vowel, in that order.

See also

• a
• la
• lan
• nan
• yo
• yon

Etymology 2

From French an (“year”)

Noun

an

1. year

Synonyms

• lane

Etymology

Borrowed from English on, German an. Decision no. 759, Progreso V.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /an/

Preposition

an

1. at, on (indicates contiguity, juxtaposition)

   Me pendis pikturi an la parieto. ― I hung paintings on the wall.

Derived terms

• dorso an dorso (“back to back”)
• an-

References

• Progreso IV (in Ido), 1911–1912, pages 409, 523, 591, 622
• Progreso V (in Ido), 1912–1913, page 659

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

1. the

   an t-uisce ― the water

   an bhean ― the woman

   an pháiste ― of the child

   ag an gcailín/chailín ― at the girl

Declension

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)

1. 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

1. 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

Etymology 3

Verb

an (present analytic anann, future analytic anfaidh, verbal noun anacht, past participle anta)

1. (transitive, intransitive) Alternative form of fan (“stay, wait, remain”)

Conjugation

Etymology 4

Particle

an

1. Alternative form of a (used before numbers when counting)

Mutation

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.

Romanization

an

1. Rōmaji transcription of あん

Etymology

From Latin annus.

Noun

an m (plural ani)

1. year

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

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /an/, [än]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /an/, [ɑn]

Conjunction

an

1. or, or whether (A conjunction that introduces the second part of a disjunctive interrogation, or a phrase implying doubt.)
   1. in disjunctive interrogations
      1. direct
         1. (introduced by utrum (“whether”))
         2. (introduced by -ne (interrogative enclitic))
         3. (introduced by nonne (“[is it] not”))
         4. (introduced by num (interrogative particle))
         5. (without an introductory particle)
      2. indirect
         1. (introduced by utrum (“whether”))
         2. (introduced by -ne, interrogative enclitic)
         3. (introduced by an)
         4. (without an introductory particle)
      3. 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)
         1. hence, in the comic poets, as an potius
      4. 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)
      5. (in the phrase an nōn) or not
         1. in direct questions
         2. in indirect questions
      6. (in the phrase an ne) pleonastic usage for an
         1. in direct questions
         2. in indirect questions
   2. (in disjunctive clauses that express doubt) or
      1. ?
      2. denoting uncertainty by itself, without a verb of doubting
      3. (chiefly in and after the Augustean period) standing for sīve
      4. where the first disjunctive clause is to be supplied from the general idea or where an stands for utrum or necne
      5. 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”.
      6. 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)
    

Noun

an

1. fresh water

References

• Malcolm Ross, Andrew Pawley, Meredith Osmond, The Lexicon of Proto-Oceanic →ISBN, 2007)
• Blust's Austronesian Comparative Dictionary (as ʔan)

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

1. on
2. to, at

Inflection

Neither the spelling nor grammar of these forms applies to all, or even necessarily the majority, of dialects.

Adverb

an

1. on

See also

• an't

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /an/, [ɑn]
• Rhymes: -ɑn

Etymology 1

From Old High German indi.

Conjunction

an

1. and

Etymology 2

From Proto-Germanic *in.

Preposition

an

1. in

Romanization

an

1. Nonstandard spelling of ān.
2. Nonstandard spelling of án.
3. Nonstandard spelling of ǎn.
4. 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.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /an/

Preposition

an

1. Alternative form of āne

Etymology 1

From Old English in.

Preposition

an

1. Alternative form of in

Etymology 2

From Old English and.

Conjunction

an

1. Alternative form of and

Etymology 3

From Old English an.

Numeral

an

1. Alternative form of oon

Etymology

From Old French an, from Latin annus.

Noun

an m (plural ans)

1. year

Descendants

• French: an

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ən/

Determiner

an

1. Alternative form of yn

Etymology

From Latin in.

Preposition

an

1. in
2. on

Article

an

1. oblique masculine of a

Derived terms

• van

References

• “an” in Cimbrian, Ladin, Mòcheno: Getting to know 3 peoples. 2015. Servizio minoranze linguistiche locali della Provincia autonoma di Trento, Trento, Italy.

Etymology

From Old French an, from Latin annus.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Jersey)

  (file)

Noun

an m (plural ans)

1. (Guernsey, Jersey) year

Synonyms

• année

Derived terms

• Jour dé l'An (“New Year's Day”)
• Nouvel An (“New Year”)
• tchu d'l'an (“last day of the year”)

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Conjunction

an

1. or

Synonyms

• yan (after a vowel-ending word)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɑːn/
• Rhymes: -ɑːn
• Hyphenation: an

Verb

an

1. imperative of ane

Anagrams

• Na, na

Preposition

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1. at, on, next to or contiguous with something

Pronunciation

• Audio (Béarn)

  (file)

Etymology 1

From Old Occitan an, from Latin annus.

Noun

an m (plural ans)

1. year

Usage notes

• Also used with the verb aver (“to have”) to indicate age

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the main entry.

Verb

an

1. third-person plural present indicative of aver

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

• IPA^(key): /ɑːn/

Numeral

ān

1. 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

1. a; an (indefinite article)

Adjective

ān

1. 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.

2. 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

Noun

ān n

1. one (digit or figure)

Declension

Derived terms

• āngenġa
• ānhaga
• āntīd

Descendants

• Middle English: an, oan, on, oon, a, o, oo
  • English: one, an, a, yan (dialectal)
  • Scots: ane, ae
  • Yola: oan

Etymology

From Latin annus.

Noun

an m (oblique plural anz, nominative singular anz, nominative plural an)

1. year

Related terms

• anee

Descendants

• Middle French: an
  • French: an
• Norman: an

Pronoun

an (triggers eclipsis, takes a leniting relative clause)

1. 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. 112^b13

     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

1. third-person singular preterite conjunct of anaid

an

1. second-person singular imperative of anaid

Mutation

Etymology

From Latin annus (“year”).

Noun

an m (oblique plural ans, nominative singular ans, nominative plural an)

1. year

Descendants

• Catalan: any
• Occitan: an

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *an.

Preposition

an

1. on, in

Etymology

From Latin annus (“year”), from Proto-Italic *atnos, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂et-no-, probably from *h₂et- (“to go”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [an]

Noun

an m (plural ani)

1. year

Declension

Derived terms

• anual
• anotimp

Alternative forms

• (Rumantsch Grischun, Sursilvan, Surmiran) onn
• (Sutsilvan, Vallader) on

Etymology

From Latin annus.

Noun

an m (plural ans)

1. (Puter) year

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

• an'
• and

Pronunciation

• (stressed) IPA^(key): [ɑn]
• (unstressed) IPA^(key): [ən]

Conjunction

an

1. and

Derived terms

• an a'

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

• IPA^(key): [ən]

Article

an

1. (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

• a

References

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /an/, /ən/

Etymology 1

From Old Irish in.

Article

an

1. the

Declension

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

1. 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

1. in

Usage notes

• This form is not used before nouns beginning with b, f, m or p, where ann am is used instead.

Synonyms

• ann an

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

Etymology

From Proto-Austronesian *-an.

Noun

an

1. place

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Adverb

an

1. used as a verb particle, similar to German preposition an (“at, in, on, to”)

Related terms

• gå an
• komma an
• lägga an
• ta sig an

Preposition

an

1. (accounting) to

Anagrams

• -na, na

Etymology

From English hand.

Noun

an

1. hand, lower arm
2. flipper

Etymology 1

From Arabic آن‎ (ʾān).

Noun

an (definite accusative anı, plural anlar)

1. moment

Declension

See also

• şu anda

Etymology 2

Verb

an

1. second-person singular imperative of anmak

Etymology

Sino-Vietnamese word from 安 (“tranquil”).

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [ʔaːn˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [ʔaːŋ˧˧]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [ʔaːŋ˧˧]

Adjective

an

1. (only in compounds) safe, secure

Derived terms

Further reading

• "an" in Hồ Ngọc Đức, Free Vietnamese Dictionary Project (details)

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Conjunction

an

1. and

Related terms

• ana

Numeral

ān

1. one

Related terms

• alf