an
Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary
Contents |
[edit] Translingual
[edit] Abbreviation
an
[edit] Synonyms
- arg (ISO 639-3)
[edit] English
[edit] Pronunciation
- (stressed)
- (unstressed)
- IPA: /ən/, SAMPA: /@n/
- Audio (US), unstressed in the phrase "an egg"help, file
[edit] Etymology 1
From Old English ān.
[edit] Article
an
- Indefinite article; used when the noun may refer to one of several possibilities. An egg could be any of several eggs, while the egg refers to a specific egg (already mentioned or known).
[edit] Usage notes
- The article an is used before vowel sounds, and a before consonant sounds.
[edit] Translations
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[edit] Etymology 2
From Middle English an
[edit] Conjunction
an
[edit] Translations
[edit] Etymology 3
From Georgian.
[edit] Noun
|
Singular |
Plural |
an (plural ans)
[edit] Etymology 4
From the Old English preposition an/on.
[edit] Preposition
an
- In each; to or for each; per.
- I was only going twenty miles an hour.
[edit] 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.
[edit] Synonyms
[edit] Translations
[edit] References
- an in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
[edit] Anagrams
[edit] Arin
[edit] Noun
an
[edit] Breton
[edit] Article
an
[edit] See also
[edit] Crimean Tatar
[edit] Noun
an
[edit] Declension
| nominative | an |
|---|---|
| genitive | anniñ |
| dative | ange |
| accusative | anni |
| locative | ande |
| ablative | anden |
[edit] References
- Useinov & Mireev Dictionary, Simferopol, Dolya, 2002 [1]
[edit] Danish
[edit] Verb
an
- Imperative of ane.
[edit] French
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Noun
an m. (plural ans)
- A year.
[edit] Synonyms
[edit] German
[edit] Etymology
From Old High German ana.
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Preposition
an (with an accusative or dative case object)
- (with a location in the dative case) on; upon; at; in; against
- Das Bild hängt an der Wand. — “The picture hangs on the wall.”
- (with a time in the dative case) on; in
- (with a dative case object) by; near; close to; next to
- (with a dative case object) by means of; by
- (with an accusative case object) on; onto
- Ich hänge das Bild an die Wand. — “I hang the picture on the wall.”
- (with an accusative case object) at; against
- Schauen Sie an die Tafel. — “Look at the blackboard.”
- (with an accusative case object) to; for
[edit] Usage notes
- The preposition an is used with an object in the accusative case if it indicates movement from one place to another, whereas it is used with the dative case if it indicates a location.
- When followed by the masculine or neuter definite article in the dative case (i.e. dem (“‘the’”)), the two words contract to am (“‘on the’”).
[edit] Adverb
an
[edit] Haitian Creole
[edit] Article
an
[edit] Usage notes
Use this word when:
- It modifies a singular noun, and
- It is preceded by a word that ends with either:
[edit] See also
[edit] Irish
[edit] Pronunciation
- IPA: [ənˠ]; between consonants [ə]
[edit] Article
an
- Form of the definite article.
[edit] Usage notes
- Used in the following situations:
- nominative singular masculine (attaches t- to a vowel, e.g. an t-uisce 'the water')
- nominative singular feminine (triggers lenition, e.g. an bhean 'the woman')
- genitive singular masculine (triggers lenition, e.g. an pháiste 'of the child')
- dative singular masculine and feminine (triggers eclipsis, e.g. ag an gcailín 'at the girl')
[edit] Related terms
[edit] Particle
an (interrogative)
- Used to form direct and indirect questions; triggers eclipsis; takes the dependent form (when available) of irregular verbs.
- 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
[edit] Japanese
[edit] Romaji
an (hiragana あん)
- 案: plan, scheme
- 餡: bean paste
[edit] Latin
[edit] Etymology
The etymology of an is very obscure.
[edit] Conjunction
an (interrogative)
- (introduces questions expecting negative answer or further question) can it be that
- An' refert, ubi et in qua arrigas?
- Does it make any difference to me who made you horny, or when?
- An' refert, ubi et in qua arrigas?
- whether
- or, either
- Vide utrum vis an...
- Consider whether you want to or...
- Vide utrum vis an...
[edit] 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.
- Nescio quid intersit, utrum nunc veniam, an ad decem annos.
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Mandarin
[edit] Pinyin syllable
an
- A transliteration of any of a number of Chinese characters properly represented as having one of four tones, ān, án, ǎn, or àn.
[edit] Usage notes
English transcriptions of Chinese speech often fail to distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Chinese language, using words such as this one without the appropriate indication of tone.
[edit] Old English
[edit] Etymology
From Proto-Germanic *ainaz, from Proto-Indo-European *óynos. Germanic cognates include Old Frisian ān, Old Saxon ēn (Dutch een), Old High German ein (German ein), Old Norse einn (Swedish en), Gothic 𐌰𐌹𐌽𐍃 (ains). The IE root is also the source of Latin unus, Ancient Greek οἶος (oios), Old Irish oen.
[edit] Pronunciation
- IPA: /ɑːn/
[edit] Cardinal number
ān
- (cardinal) one
[edit] Usage notes
As in modern English, usage doubles as both a numeral and a pronoun.
[edit] Article
ān
- a, an (indefinite article)
[edit] Adjective
ān
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Romanian
[edit] Etymology
[edit] Pronunciation
- IPA: [an]
[edit] Noun
[edit] Declension
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Scots
[edit] Conjunction
an
[edit] Scottish Gaelic
[edit] Pronunciation
- IPA: /an/, /ən/
[edit] Pronoun
an
[edit] Usage notes
- This form of possessive pronoun is not used before nouns beginning with b, f, m or p, where am is used instead.
[edit] Preposition
an
[edit] Usage notes
- This form is not used before nouns beginning with b, f, m or p, where ann am is used instead.
[edit] Synonyms
[edit] Derived terms
- The following prepositional pronouns:
| Combining
pronoun |
Prepositional
pronoun |
Prepositional
pronoun (emphatic) |
| mi | annam | annamsa |
| tu | annad | annadsa |
| e | ann | annsan |
| i | innte | inntese |
| sinn | annainn | annainne |
| sibh | annaibh | annaibhse |
| iad | annta | anntasan |
[edit] Article
an
[edit] Usage notes
- This is the most common singular form. The most common plural form is na. For other forms and their specific uses, see pages listed in "See also" below.
[edit] See also
[edit] Torres Strait Creole
[edit] Etymology
[edit] Noun
an
[edit] Turkish
[edit] Noun
an

