can

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See also: Appendix:Variations of "can"

English

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Etymology 1

From Middle English can, first and third person singular of connen, cunnen (“to be able, know how”), from Old English can(n), first and third person singular of cunnan (“to know how”), from Proto-West Germanic *kunnan, from Proto-Germanic *kunnaną, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- (whence also know). Doublet of con. See also: canny, cunning.

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • (stressed)
    • enPR: kăn
    • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈkæn/, [ˈkʰan], [ˈkʰæn]
    • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "GA" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈkæn/, [ˈkʰæn], [ˈkʰɛən], [ˈkʰeən] Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "see w:/æ/ raising" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E.
      • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "Philadelphia" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈkɛn/
    • Audio (US):(file)
    • Rhymes: -æn
  • (unstressed)
    • IPA(key): /kən/, [kʰən], [kʰn̩]
    • Audio (US; unstressed):(file)

Verb

can (third-person singular simple present can, present participle (by suppletion) able, simple past could, past participle (obsolete except in adjectival use) couth)

  1. (auxiliary verb, defective) To know how to; to be able to.
    Synonym: be able to
    Antonyms: cannot, can't, can’t
    She can speak English, French, and German.
    I can play football.
    Can you remember your fifth birthday?
    • 1449, Reginald Pecock, Represser of over-much weeting [blaming] of the Clergie
      prouyng which eny clerk can or woel or mai make bi eny maner euydence of resoun or of Scripture, and namelich of resoun into the contrarie.
    • 2013 July–August, Lee S. Langston, “The Adaptable Gas Turbine”, in American Scientist:
      Turbines have been around for a long time—windmills and water wheels are early examples. The name comes from the Latin turbo, meaning vortex, and thus the defining property of a turbine is that a fluid or gas turns the blades of a rotor, which is attached to a shaft that can perform useful work.
    • 1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:
      If thou canst awake by four o' the clock, / I prithee call me. Sleep hath seized me wholly.
  2. (modal auxiliary verb, defective, informal) May; to be permitted or enabled to.
    Synonym: may
    You can go outside and play when you're finished with your homework.
    Can I use your pen?
  3. (modal auxiliary verb, defective) To have the potential to; be possible.
    Can it be Friday already?
    Teenagers can really try their parents' patience.
    Animals can experience emotions.
    • 1922, Ben Travers, chapter 5, in A Cuckoo in the Nest:
      The most rapid and most seductive transition in all human nature is that which attends the palliation of a ravenous appetite. […] Can those harmless but refined fellow-diners be the selfish cads whose gluttony and personal appearance so raised your contemptuous wrath on your arrival?
    • 2009, Annette Sym, Simply Too Good to be True, Greenleaf Book Group, →ISBN, page 4:
      Teenagers can be so cruel, and nicknames cut deep.
  4. (auxiliary verb, defective) Used with verbs of perception.
    Can you hear that?.
    I can feel the baby moving inside me.
  5. (obsolete, transitive) To know.
    Synonyms: cognize, grok, ken
Usage notes
  • For missing forms, substitute inflected forms of be able to, as:
    • I might be able to go.
    • I was able to go yesterday.
    • I have been able to go, since I was seven.
    • I had been able to go before.
    • I will be able to go tomorrow.
  • The word could also suffices in many tenses. “I would be able to go” is equivalent to “I could go”, and “I was unable to go” can be rendered “I could not go”. (Unless there is a clear indication otherwise, “could verb” means “would be able to verb”, but “could not verb” means “was/were unable to verb”.)
  • The present tense negative can not is usually contracted to cannot (more formal) or can’t (less formal).
  • The use of can in asking permission sometimes is criticized as being impolite or incorrect by those who favour the more formal alternative “may I...?”.
  • Can is sometimes used rhetorically to issue a command, placing the command in the form of a request. For instance, “Can you hand me that pen?” as a polite substitution for “Hand me that pen.”
  • Some US dialects that glottalize the final /t/ in can’t (/kæn(ʔ)/), in order to differentiate can’t from can, pronounce can as /kɛn/ even when stressed.
Conjugation
Conjugation of can
infinitive —
present tense past tense
1st-person singular can could, coulde†
2nd-person singular can, canst†, canest†, cannest† could, couldst†, couldest†, could'st†
3rd-person singular can, canneth† could, coulde†
plural can
subjunctive can could, coulde†
imperative can† —
participles canning† could*, coulde†

†Archaic or obsolete. * Dialectal.

Translations
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
See also

Etymology 2

From Middle English canne, from Old English canne (“glass, container, cup, can”), from Proto-Germanic *kannǭ (“can, tankard, mug, cup”).

Pronunciation

  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. enPR: kăn, IPA(key): /ˈkæn/
  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "AusE" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈkæːn/
  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "ae-tensing" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): [ˈkeən]
  • Audio (UK):(file)

Noun

a can (3)

can (plural cans)

  1. A more or less cylindrical vessel for liquids, usually of steel or aluminium, but sometimes of plastic, and with a carrying handle over the top.
  2. A container used to carry and dispense water for plants (a watering can).
  3. A tin-plate canister, often cylindrical, for preserved foods such as fruit, meat, or fish.
  4. (archaic) A chamber pot, now (US, slang) a toilet or lavatory.
    Shit or get off the can.
    Bob's in the can. You can wait a few minutes or just leave it with me.
  5. (US, slang) Buttocks.
  6. (slang) Jail or prison.
    Bob's in the can. He won't be back for a few years.
  7. (slang, in the plural) Headphones.
  8. (archaic) A drinking cup.
  9. (nautical) A cube-shaped buoy or marker used to denote a port-side lateral mark
  10. A chimney pot.
  11. (slang, in the plural) An E-meter used in Scientology auditing.
  12. (US, slang) An ounce (or sometimes, two ounces) of marijuana.
    • For quotations using this term, see Citations:can.
    • 1970, California. Supreme Court, Reports of Cases Determined in the Supreme Court of the State of California
      […] prosecution for selling and giving away marijuana, the evidence clearly constituted substantial proof that a package purchased by defendant contained marijuana where he requested "four cans" of marijuana to be delivered to himself and […]
  13. A protective cover for the fuel element in a nuclear reactor.
Synonyms
Hyponyms
Hyponyms of can (Etymology 2)
Derived terms
Translations
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

Verb

can (third-person singular simple present cans, present participle canning, simple past and past participle canned)

  1. To seal in a can.
    They canned air to sell as a novelty to tourists.
  2. To preserve by heating and sealing in a jar or can.
    They spent August canning fruit and vegetables.
  3. To discard, scrap or terminate (an idea, project, etc.).
    He canned the whole project because he thought it would fail.
    • 2020 December 2, Paul Bigland, “My weirdest and wackiest Rover yet”, in Rail, pages 67-68:
      My next stop is Oxford, which has also grown with the addition of new platforms to accommodate the Chiltern Railways service to London via Bicester - although, short sightedly, the planned electrification from Paddington was canned. Evidence of the volte-face can be seen along the line at places such as Radley, where mast piles are already sunk or lie discarded at the lineside.
  4. (transitive, slang) To shut up.
    Can your gob.
  5. (US, euphemistic) To fire or dismiss an employee.
    The boss canned him for speaking out.
  6. (golf, slang, transitive) To hole the ball.
    • 1958, Dick Mayer, How to Think and Swing Like a Golf Champion, page 186:
      I thought I had canned it, but it just missed, and I tapped in the second one for a par.
  7. (transitive) To cover (the fuel element in a nuclear reactor) with a protective cover.
Conjugation
Conjugation of can
infinitive (to) can
present tense past tense
1st-person singular can canned
2nd-person singular
3rd-person singular cans
plural can
subjunctive can canned
imperative can —
participles canning canned
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations

Anagrams

Afar

Can.

Etymology

Related to Somali caano, Oromo aannan and Saho xan.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈħan/ [ˈħʌn]
  • Hyphenation: can

Noun

cán m (plural caanowá f or canooná f)

  1. milk

Declension

Declension of cán
absolutive cán
predicative cána
subjective cán
genitive cantí
Postpositioned forms
l-case cánal
k-case cának
t-case cánat
h-case cánah

References

  • Loren F. Bliese (1981) A Generative Grammar of Afar‎[1], Dallas: Summer Institute of Linguistics and University of Texas at Arlington (doctoral thesis).
  • E. M. Parker, R. J. Hayward (1985) “can”, in An Afar-English-French dictionary (with Grammatical Notes in English), University of London, →ISBN
  • Mohamed Hassan Kamil (2015) L’afar: description grammaticale d’une langue couchitique (Djibouti, Erythrée et Ethiopie)‎[2], Paris: Université Sorbonne Paris Cité (doctoral thesis)

Aragonese

Etymology

From Latin canis, canem.

Noun

can m (plural cans)

  1. dog

References

Asturian

Etymology

From Latin canis, canem.

Pronunciation

Noun

can m (plural canes)

  1. dog (animal)

Synonyms

Azerbaijani

Etymology

From Persian جان (jân).

Pronunciation

Noun

Other scripts
Cyrillic ҹан
Abjad جان

can (definite accusative canı, plural canlar)

  1. soul, spirit
  2. being, creature, life
  3. body (in expressions concerning body sensations)
    Canım ağrıyır. ― My body is aching.
    Canıma üşütmə düşdü. ― My body is shivering.
    Synonym: bədən
  4. force, vigour
  5. life (the state of organisms preceding their death)
    canını almaq ― to kill (literally, “to take the life of”)

Declension

    Declension of can
singular plural
nominative can
 canlar
definite accusative canı
 canları
dative cana
 canlara
locative canda
 canlarda
ablative candan
 canlardan
definite genitive canın
 canların
    Possessive forms of can
nominative
singular plural
mənim (“my”) canım canlarım
sənin (“your”) canın canların
onun (“his/her/its”) canı canları
bizim (“our”) canımız canlarımız
sizin (“your”) canınız canlarınız
onların (“their”) canı or canları canları
accusative
singular plural
mənim (“my”) canımı canlarımı
sənin (“your”) canını canlarını
onun (“his/her/its”) canını canlarını
bizim (“our”) canımızı canlarımızı
sizin (“your”) canınızı canlarınızı
onların (“their”) canını or canlarını canlarını
dative
singular plural
mənim (“my”) canıma canlarıma
sənin (“your”) canına canlarına
onun (“his/her/its”) canına canlarına
bizim (“our”) canımıza canlarımıza
sizin (“your”) canınıza canlarınıza
onların (“their”) canına or canlarına canlarına
locative
singular plural
mənim (“my”) canımda canlarımda
sənin (“your”) canında canlarında
onun (“his/her/its”) canında canlarında
bizim (“our”) canımızda canlarımızda
sizin (“your”) canınızda canlarınızda
onların (“their”) canında or canlarında canlarında
ablative
singular plural
mənim (“my”) canımdan canlarımdan
sənin (“your”) canından canlarından
onun (“his/her/its”) canından canlarından
bizim (“our”) canımızdan canlarımızdan
sizin (“your”) canınızdan canlarınızdan
onların (“their”) canından or canlarından canlarından
genitive
singular plural
mənim (“my”) canımın canlarımın
sənin (“your”) canının canlarının
onun (“his/her/its”) canının canlarının
bizim (“our”) canımızın canlarımızın
sizin (“your”) canınızın canlarınızın
onların (“their”) canının or canlarının canlarının

Derived terms

Catalan

Pronunciation

Contraction

can

  1. Contraction of ca en (“the house of”).

Further reading

Chinese

Etymology

From clipping of English canteen.

Pronunciation

Noun

can

  1. (Hong Kong Cantonese, university slang) canteen; restaurant (in a university campus)

Classical Nahuatl

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

Pronoun

cān

  1. where

Derived terms

Galician

Can ("dog")

Alternative forms

Etymology 1

From Old Galician and Old Galician-Portuguese can, from Latin canis, canem. Cognate with Portuguese cão.

Pronunciation

Noun

can m (plural cans)

  1. dog
    Cando o can ladra na rúa, non ladra de balde.
    When the dog barks in the street, it does not bark for nothing
  2. (historical) 20th century 5, 10 cents of peseta coin

Etymology 2

From Old Galician and Old Galician-Portuguese quan, from Latin quam. Cognate with Portuguese quão and Spanish cuan.

Pronunciation

Noun

can m (plural cans)

  1. how

Etymology 3

From Old French chan, from Medieval Latin canus, ultimately from Turkic *qan, contraction of *qaɣan.

Pronunciation

Noun

can m (plural cans)

  1. khan

References

Interlingua

Noun

can (plural canes)

  1. dog
  2. cock, hammer (of a firearm)

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish canaid, from Proto-Celtic *kaneti (“to sing”), from Proto-Indo-European *keh₂n-. Compare Welsh canu, Latin canō, Ancient Greek καναχέω (kanakhéō), Persian خواندن (xândan).

Pronunciation

Verb

can (present analytic canann, future analytic canfaidh, verbal noun canadh, past participle canta)

  1. to sing
    • 2015 [2014], Will Collins, translated by Proinsias Mac a' Bhaird, edited by Maura McHugh, Amhrán na Mara (fiction; paperback), Kilkenny, County Kilkenny, Howth, Dublin: Cartoon Saloon; Coiscéim, translation of Song of the Sea (in English), →ISBN, page 1:
      Thuas i dteach an tsolais, faoi réaltaí geala, canann Bronach Amhrán na Mara dá mac Ben atá cúig bliana d'aois.
      [original: Up in the lighthouse, under twinkling stars, Bronach sings the Song of the Sea to her five-year-old son, Ben.]

Conjugation

conjugation of can (first conjugation – A)
singular plural relative autonomous
first second third first second third
indicative present canaim canann tú;
canair† 		canann sé, sí canaimid canann sibh canann siad;
canaid† 		a chanann; a chanas /
a gcanann*; a gcanas* 		cantar
past chan mé; chanas chan tú; chanais chan sé, sí chanamar; chan muid chan sibh; chanabhair chan siad; chanadar a chan /
ar chan* 		canadh
past habitual chanainn / gcanainn‡‡ chantá / gcantᇇ chanadh sé, sí / gcanadh sé, s퇇 chanaimis; chanadh muid / gcanaimis‡‡; gcanadh muid‡‡ chanadh sibh / gcanadh sibh‡‡ chanaidís; chanadh siad / gcanaidís‡‡; gcanadh siad‡‡ a chanadh /
a gcanadh* 		chantaí / gcanta퇇
future canfaidh mé;
canfad 		canfaidh tú;
canfair† 		canfaidh sé, sí canfaimid;
canfaidh muid 		canfaidh sibh canfaidh siad;
canfaid† 		a chanfaidh; a chanfas /
a gcanfaidh*; a gcanfas* 		canfar
conditional chanfainn / gcanfainn‡‡ chanfá / gcanfᇇ chanfadh sé, sí / gcanfadh sé, s퇇 chanfaimis; chanfadh muid / gcanfaimis‡‡; gcanfadh muid‡‡ chanfadh sibh / gcanfadh sibh‡‡ chanfaidís; chanfadh siad / gcanfaidís‡‡; gcanfadh siad‡‡ a chanfadh /
a gcanfadh* 		chanfaí / gcanfa퇇
subjunctive present go gcana mé;
go gcanad† 		go gcana tú;
go gcanair† 		go gcana sé, sí go gcanaimid;
go gcana muid 		go gcana sibh go gcana siad;
go gcanaid† 		— go gcantar
past dá gcanainn dá gcantá dá gcanadh sé, sí dá gcanaimis;
dá gcanadh muid 		dá gcanadh sibh dá gcanaidís;
dá gcanadh siad 		— dá gcantaí
imperative canaim can canadh sé, sí canaimis canaigí;
canaidh† 		canaidís — cantar
verbal noun canadh
past participle canta

* indirect relative
† archaic or dialect form
‡‡ dependent form used with particles that trigger eclipsis

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical Lenition Eclipsis
can chan gcan
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Istriot

Etymology

From Latin canis.

Noun

can m

  1. dog

Italian

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈkan/
  • Rhymes: -an
  • Hyphenation: càn

Etymology 1

From Turkic.

Alternative forms

Noun

can m (uncountable)

  1. Obsolete spelling of khan.

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

can m (apocopated)

  1. (poetic, literary) Apocopic form of cane; dog

Ligurian

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Latin canem, accusative form of canis, from earlier canēs, from Proto-Italic *kō (accusative *kwanem), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱwṓ (accusative *ḱwónm̥).

Pronunciation

Noun

can m (plural chen, diminutive cagnetto or cagnin, feminine cagna)

  1. dog, male dog

Lombard

Etymology

Akin to cane, from Latin canis.

Noun

can

  1. dog

Mandarin

Romanization

can

  1. Nonstandard spelling of cān.
  2. Nonstandard spelling of cán.
  3. Nonstandard spelling of cǎn.
  4. Nonstandard spelling of càn.

Usage notes

  • Transcriptions of Mandarin into the Latin script often do not distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without indication of tone.

Middle Dutch

Verb

can

  1. first/third-person singular present indicative of connen

Middle English

Etymology 1

Noun

can

  1. Alternative form of canne

Etymology 2

Verb

can

  1. Alternative form of cunnen

Northern Kurdish

Etymology

Related to Persian جان (jân).

Pronunciation

Noun

can ?

  1. soul

Occitan

Etymology

From Old Occitan [Term?], from Latin canis, canem.

Pronunciation

Noun

can m (plural cans, feminine canha, feminine plural canhas)

  1. dog, hound

Old Occitan

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Latin quandō.

Conjunction

can

  1. when
    • circa 1200, Peire Vidal, Ab l'alen tir vas me l'aire:
      Tan m'es bel quan n'aug ben dire.
      So much it pleases me when I hear it spoken of well.

Adverb

can

  1. (interrogative) when

Descendants

  • Occitan: quand

Old Portuguese

Etymology

From Latin canis (“dog”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱwṓ (“dog”).

Pronunciation

Noun

can m

  1. dog

Descendants

Scots

Etymology

From Middle English can, first and third person singular of connen, cunnen (“to be able, know how”), from Old English can(n), first and third person singular of cunnan (“to know how”), from Proto-West Germanic *kunnan, from Proto-Germanic *kunnaną, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- (whence know).

Verb

can (third-person singular simple present can, simple past cud)

  1. can
  2. be able to
    He shuid can dae that. ― He should be able to do that.

Derived terms

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish canaid (“to sing”), from Proto-Celtic *kaneti (“to sing”), from Proto-Indo-European *keh₂n-. Compare Welsh canu, Latin canō, Ancient Greek καναχέω (kanakhéō), Persian خواندن (xândan).

Verb

can (past chan, future canaidh, verbal noun cantainn, past participle cante)

  1. to say

References

  • Edward Dwelly (1911) “can”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary]‎[3], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN

Spanish

Etymology

From Latin canis, canem, from Proto-Italic *kō (accusative *kwanem), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱwṓ (accusative *ḱwónm̥). Compare Catalan ca, Occitan can, French chien, Italian cane, Portuguese cão, Romanian câine and Aromanian cãne, cãni.

Pronunciation

Noun

can m (plural canes)

  1. (formal) dog, hound
    Synonyms: perro, (colloquial) chucho

Hypernyms

Hyponyms

Further reading

Turkish

Etymology

From Ottoman Turkish جان, from Persian جان (jân, “soul, vital spirit, life”).

Pronunciation

Noun

can (definite accusative canı, plural canlar)

  1. soul, life, being
  2. sweetheart

Declension

Inflection
Nominative can
Definite accusative canı
Singular Plural
Nominative can canlar
Definite accusative canı canları
Dative cana canlara
Locative canda canlarda
Ablative candan canlardan
Genitive canın canların
Possessive forms
Nominative
Singular Plural
1st singular canım canlarım
2nd singular canın canların
3rd singular canı canları
1st plural canımız canlarımız
2nd plural canınız canlarınız
3rd plural canları canları
Definite accusative
Singular Plural
1st singular canımı canlarımı
2nd singular canını canlarını
3rd singular canını canlarını
1st plural canımızı canlarımızı
2nd plural canınızı canlarınızı
3rd plural canlarını canlarını
Dative
Singular Plural
1st singular canıma canlarıma
2nd singular canına canlarına
3rd singular canına canlarına
1st plural canımıza canlarımıza
2nd plural canınıza canlarınıza
3rd plural canlarına canlarına
Locative
Singular Plural
1st singular canımda canlarımda
2nd singular canında canlarında
3rd singular canında canlarında
1st plural canımızda canlarımızda
2nd plural canınızda canlarınızda
3rd plural canlarında canlarında
Ablative
Singular Plural
1st singular canımdan canlarımdan
2nd singular canından canlarından
3rd singular canından canlarından
1st plural canımızdan canlarımızdan
2nd plural canınızdan canlarınızdan
3rd plural canlarından canlarından
Genitive
Singular Plural
1st singular canımın canlarımın
2nd singular canının canlarının
3rd singular canının canlarının
1st plural canımızın canlarımızın
2nd plural canınızın canlarınızın
3rd plural canlarının canlarının

See also

Venetian

Etymology

From Latin canis, canem.

Venetian Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia vec

Pronunciation

Noun

can m (plural cani)

  1. dog

Vietnamese

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Sino-Vietnamese word from 肝.

Noun

can

  1. (alternative medicine) liver

Etymology 2

Sino-Vietnamese word from 干.

Noun

can

  1. Short for Thiên Can (“celestial stem”).

Verb

can

  1. to concern; to apply to
  2. to be involved (in); to be implicated (in)

Etymology 3

Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 諫 (SV: gián).

Verb

can

  1. to dissuade (someone from doing something); to intervene

Etymology 4

From English canne.

Noun

(classifier cây, cái) can

  1. walking stick

Etymology 5

Verb

can

  1. to join; to unite; to sew together

Etymology 6

From French calque.

Verb

can

  1. to trace (through translucent paper), to do tracing
Derived terms
Derived terms

Volapük

Noun

can (nominative plural cans)

  1. sales commodity, merchandise, wares

Declension

declension of can
singular plural
nominative can cans
genitive cana canas
dative cane canes
accusative cani canis
vocative 1 o can! o cans!
predicative 2 canu canus
  • 1 status as a case is disputed
  • 2 in later, non-classical Volapük only

Welsh

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kand- (“to shine, glow”).

See also Ancient Greek κάνδαρος (kándaros, “charcoal”), Albanian hënë (“moon”), Sanskrit चन्द्र (candrá, “shining”) and Old Armenian խանդ (xand).

Adjective

can (feminine singular can, plural can, equative canned, comparative cannach, superlative cannaf)

  1. bleached, white

Noun

can m (plural caniau)

  1. flour

Derived terms

  • cannaid (“bright, refulgent”)
  • cannu (“to bleach, to whiten”)

Etymology 2

Welsh numbers (edit)
1,000
[a], [b], [c] ←  90 [a], [b], [c], [d] ←  99 100 101  →  200  → 
10[a], [b]
    Cardinal (vigesimal): pum ugain
    Cardinal: cant, (before nouns) can
    Ordinal: canfed
    Ordinal abbreviation: 100fed

From Middle Welsh and Old Welsh cant, from Proto-Brythonic *kant, from Proto-Celtic *kantom (“hundred”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱm̥tóm.

Numeral

can

  1. (cardinal number) Apocopic form of cant (“one hundred”)
Usage notes
  • This is the form the number cant (“one hundred”) takes when it precedes a noun.

Etymology 3

From English can.

Noun

can m (plural caniau)

  1. a can

Mutation

Welsh mutation
radical soft nasal aspirate
can gan nghan chan
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

See also

Further reading

  • R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “can”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies
  • Definition from the BBC.

Yucatec Maya

Etymology 1

Numeral

can

  1. Obsolete spelling of kan.

Etymology 2

Noun

can

  1. Obsolete spelling of kaan.
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