an

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See also: Appendix:Variations of "an"

English[edit]

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Pronunciation[edit]

  • (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[edit]

From Middle English an, from Old English ān (“a, an”, literally “one”).

Article[edit]

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. (nonstandard, Britain, West Country) Used before all consonants.
Usage notes[edit]
Main appendix: English articles#Indefinite articles
  • 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]
  • 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[edit]
indefinite article

Numeral[edit]

an

  1. (nonstandard, Britain, West Country) one

References[edit]

  1. ^ 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).

Etymology 2[edit]

From Middle English an.

Conjunction[edit]

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.
Translations[edit]

Etymology 3[edit]

Borrowed from Georgian ან (an).

Noun[edit]

an (plural ans)

  1. The first letter of the Georgian alphabet, ა (Mkhedruli), Ⴀ (Asomtavruli) or ⴀ (Nuskhuri).

Etymology 4[edit]

From the Old English an, on (preposition).

Preposition[edit]

an

  1. In each; to or for each; per.
    I was only going twenty miles an hour.
Usage notes[edit]
  • 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[edit]
Translations[edit]

References[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

Albanian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

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

Noun[edit]

an m (definite singular ani)

  1. (anatomy) womb, caul
    Synonym: mitër
  2. (anatomy) joint
  3. (dialectal) room, vessel
  4. (dialectal, Italy) ship

Related terms[edit]

Arin[edit]

Noun[edit]

an

  1. haunch

Aromanian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Latin annus. Compare Romanian an.

Noun[edit]

an n (plural anji)

  1. year

Azerbaijani[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Arabic آن‎ (ʾān).

Noun[edit]

an (definite accusative anı, plural anlar)

  1. moment

Declension[edit]

Declension of an
singular plural
nominative an anlar
definite accusative anı anları
dative ana anlara
locative anda anlarda
ablative andan anlardan
definite genitive anın anların
Possessive forms of an
nominative
singular plural
mənim (“my”) anım anlarım
sənin (“your”) anın anların
onun (“his/her/its”) anı anları
bizim (“our”) anımız anlarımız
sizin (“your”) anınız anlarınız
onların (“their”) anı or anları anları
accusative
singular plural
mənim (“my”) anımı anlarımı
sənin (“your”) anını anlarını
onun (“his/her/its”) anını anlarını
bizim (“our”) anımızı anlarımızı
sizin (“your”) anınızı anlarınızı
onların (“their”) anını or anlarını anlarını
dative
singular plural
mənim (“my”) anıma anlarıma
sənin (“your”) anına anlarına
onun (“his/her/its”) anına anlarına
bizim (“our”) anımıza anlarımıza
sizin (“your”) anınıza anlarınıza
onların (“their”) anına or anlarına anlarına
locative
singular plural
mənim (“my”) anımda anlarımda
sənin (“your”) anında anlarında
onun (“his/her/its”) anında anlarında
bizim (“our”) anımızda anlarımızda
sizin (“your”) anınızda anlarınızda
onların (“their”) anında or anlarında anlarında
ablative
singular plural
mənim (“my”) anımdan anlarımdan
sənin (“your”) anından anlarından
onun (“his/her/its”) anından anlarından
bizim (“our”) anımızdan anlarımızdan
sizin (“your”) anınızdan anlarınızdan
onların (“their”) anından or anlarından anlarından
genitive
singular plural
mənim (“my”) anımın anlarımın
sənin (“your”) anının anlarının
onun (“his/her/its”) anının anlarının
bizim (“our”) anımızın anlarımızın
sizin (“your”) anınızın anlarınızın
onların (“their”) anının or anlarının anlarının

Derived terms[edit]

Bambara[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Pronoun[edit]

an

  1. we

Bikol Central[edit]

Article[edit]

an

  1. the

Bourguignon[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

From Latin annus.

Noun[edit]

an m (plural ans)

  1. year
Derived terms[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

From Latin in

Preposition[edit]

an

  1. in
Synonyms[edit]

Etymology 3[edit]

From Latin inde

Pronoun[edit]

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

Breton[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

Article[edit]

an

  1. the

Chuukese[edit]

Determiner[edit]

an

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

Related terms[edit]

Chuukese possessive determiners
Small objects, concepts Large objects, living things Suffix
Singular First person ai nei -ei
Second person omw, om noum -om
Third person an noun -an
Plural First person äm (exclusive)
ach (inclusive)		 nöu̇m (exclusive)
nöüch (inclusive)		 -em (exclusive)
-ach (inclusive)
Second person ämi, ami noumi -emi
Third person ar nour -er


Noun[edit]

an

  1. path, road

Cimbrian[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

  • a (Luserna)

Etymology[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

Cimbrian indefinite articles
Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative an an an
Accusative an an an
Dative aname anara aname

Conjunction[edit]

an

  1. (Sette Comuni) that (introduces a subordinate clause)
    Khömme an dar sbaighe.
    Tell him that he needs to shut up.

References[edit]

  • “an” in Martalar, Umberto Martello; Bellotto, Alfonso (1974) Dizionario della lingua Cimbra dei Sette Communi vicentini, 1st edition, Roana, Italy: Instituto di Cultura Cimbra A. Dal Pozzo
  • “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

Cornish[edit]

Etymology[edit]

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

Article[edit]

an

  1. the (definite article)

Crimean Tatar[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Ultimately from Arabic آن‎ (ʾān).

Noun[edit]

an

  1. moment

Declension[edit]

Declension of an
nominative an
genitive anniñ
dative ange
accusative anni
locative ande
ablative anden

References[edit]

  • Mirjejev, V. A.; Usejinov, S. M. (2002) Ukrajinsʹko-krymsʹkotatarsʹkyj slovnyk [Ukrainian – Crimean Tatar Dictionary]‎[1], Simferopol: Dolya, →ISBN

Danish[edit]

Verb[edit]

an

  1. imperative of ane

Elfdalian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Old Norse hann. Cognate with Swedish han.

Pronoun[edit]

an m

  1. he

Emilian[edit]

Emiliano-Romagnolo Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia eml

Etymology[edit]

From Latin annus.

Noun[edit]

an m

  1. year

French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

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

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

an m (plural ans)

  1. A year

Synonyms[edit]

Further reading[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

Friulian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Latin annus.

Noun[edit]

an m (plural agns)

  1. year

Fula[edit]

Determiner[edit]

an (singular)

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

Usage notes[edit]

References[edit]

Fuyug[edit]

Noun[edit]

an (plural aning)

  1. man

References[edit]

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

German[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Old High German ana.

Pronunciation[edit]

Preposition[edit]

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[edit]

  • 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[edit]

an

  1. onward; on
    von heute an ― from today on

Derived terms[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

Girawa[edit]

Noun[edit]

an

  1. water

Further reading[edit]

  • Patricia Lillie, Girawa Dictionary

Gothic[edit]

Romanization[edit]

an

  1. Romanization of 𐌰𐌽

Haitian Creole[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

From French un.

Article[edit]

an

  1. the (definite article)
Usage notes[edit]

Use this word when:

  • It modifies a singular noun, and
  • It is preceded by a word that ends with either:

See also[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

From French an (“year”)

Noun[edit]

an

  1. year
Synonyms[edit]

Ido[edit]

Etymology[edit]

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

Pronunciation[edit]

Preposition[edit]

an

  1. at, on (indicates contiguity, juxtaposition)
    Me pendis pikturi an la parieto. ― I hung paintings on the wall.

Derived terms[edit]

References[edit]

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

Irish[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

From Old Irish in, from Proto-Celtic *sindos.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ənˠ/, (between consonants) /ə/, (before a/á, o/ó, u/ú) /ə.nˠ-/, (before e/é, i/í) /ə.n̠ʲ-/

Article[edit]

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[edit]
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; 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)
and eclipsis otherwise (varies by dialect)
E: Triggers eclipsis
H: Triggers h-prothesis
L: Triggers lenition (except of d, t; s lenites to ts)
T: Triggers t-prothesis

Etymology 2[edit]

From Old Irish in.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • (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[edit]

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[edit]
  • ar (used with the past tense of regular and some irregular verbs)

Particle 2[edit]

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[edit]
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[edit]

Verb[edit]

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

  1. (transitive, intransitive) Alternative form of fan (“stay, wait, remain”)
Conjugation[edit]
First Conjugation (A)
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[edit]

Particle[edit]

an

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

Mutation[edit]

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[edit]

Japanese[edit]

Romanization[edit]

an

  1. Rōmaji transcription of あん

Kurdish[edit]

Etymology[edit]

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

Conjunction[edit]

an

  1. or

Synonyms[edit]

  • yan (after a vowel-ending word)

Ladin[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Latin annus.

Noun[edit]

an m (plural ani)

  1. year

Latin[edit]

Etymology[edit]

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[edit]

Conjunction[edit]

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[edit]

  • 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[edit]

References[edit]

  • ăn in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • an in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
  • Carl Meissner; Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎[2], London: Macmillan and Co.
    • 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)
  1. ^ De Vaan, Michiel (2008) Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill

Loniu[edit]

Noun[edit]

an

  1. fresh water

References[edit]

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

Low German[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle Low German an, from Old Saxon an, ana, from Proto-Germanic *an, *ana.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • Rhymes: -an
  • IPA(key): /an/, /aːn/, /ɒːn/, /ɔːn/

Preposition[edit]

an

  1. on
  2. to, at

Inflection[edit]

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[edit]

an

  1. on

See also[edit]

Luxembourgish[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

From Old High German indi.

Conjunction[edit]

an

  1. and

Etymology 2[edit]

From Proto-Germanic *in.

Preposition[edit]

an

  1. in

Mandarin[edit]

Romanization[edit]

an

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

Usage notes[edit]

  • 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[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Preposition[edit]

an

  1. Alternative form of āne

Middle English[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

From Old English in.

Preposition[edit]

an

  1. Alternative form of in

Etymology 2[edit]

From Old English and.

Conjunction[edit]

an

  1. Alternative form of and

Etymology 3[edit]

From Old English an.

Numeral[edit]

an

  1. Alternative form of oon

Middle French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Old French an, from Latin annus.

Noun[edit]

an m (plural ans)

  1. year

Descendants[edit]

  • French: an

Middle Welsh[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Determiner[edit]

an

  1. Alternative form of yn

Mirandese[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Latin in.

Preposition[edit]

an

  1. in
  2. on

Mòcheno[edit]

Article[edit]

an

  1. oblique masculine of a

Derived terms[edit]

References[edit]

Norman[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Old French an, from Latin annus.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • Audio (Jersey)
    		(file)

Noun[edit]

an m (plural ans)

  1. (Guernsey, Jersey) year

Synonyms[edit]

Derived terms[edit]

Novial[edit]

Preposition[edit]

an

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

Occitan[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • Audio (Béarn)
    		(file)

Etymology 1[edit]

From Old Occitan an, from Latin annus.

Noun[edit]

an m (plural ans)

  1. year

Usage notes[edit]

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

Etymology 2[edit]

See the etymology of the main entry.

Verb[edit]

an

  1. third-person plural present indicative of aver

Old English[edit]

Old English numbers (edit)
10
1 2  → 
    Cardinal: ān
    Ordinal: forma
    Adverbial: ǣne
    Multiplier: ānfeald

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Germanic *ainaz, from Proto-Indo-European *óynos. 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[edit]

Numeral[edit]

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 se cyning Willelm on huntoþe fram his ānum menn mid ānre flā 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[edit]

Declension of ān
Singular Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative ān ān ān
Accusative ānne, ǣnne āne ān
Genitive ānes ānre ānes
Dative ānum ānre ānum
Instrumental āne ānre āne
Plural
Nominative āne
Accusative āne
Genitive ānra
Dative ānum
Instrumental ānum

Article[edit]

ān

  1. a; an (indefinite article)

Adjective[edit]

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 þǣm ānum 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.
    Wē sind āna for þon þe mannum is lēofre þæt hīe ūs ġemiltsiġen and hatiġen þonne hīe ūs understanden and lufiġen.
    We're alone because people would rather pity us and hate us than understand us and love us.
    • 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[edit]

In the above senses ("only" and "alone"), this word was often used in the weak declension, often indeclinably as āna.

Declension[edit]

Declension of ān — Strong
Singular Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative ān ān ān
Accusative ānne āne ān
Genitive ānes ānre ānes
Dative ānum ānre ānum
Instrumental āne ānre āne
Plural Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative āne āna, āne ān
Accusative āne āna, āne ān
Genitive ānra ānra ānra
Dative ānum ānum ānum
Instrumental ānum ānum ānum
Declension of ān — Weak
Singular Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative āna āne āne
Accusative ānan ānan āne
Genitive ānan ānan ānan
Dative ānan ānan ānan
Instrumental ānan ānan ānan
Plural Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative ānan ānan ānan
Accusative ānan ānan ānan
Genitive ānra, ānena ānra, ānena ānra, ānena
Dative ānum ānum ānum
Instrumental ānum ānum ānum

Noun[edit]

ān n

  1. one (digit or figure)

Declension[edit]

Declension of an (strong-a-stem)
Case Singular Plural
nominative ān ān
accusative ān ān
genitive ānes āna
dative āne ānum

Derived terms[edit]

Descendants[edit]

Old French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Latin annus.

Noun[edit]

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

  1. year

Related terms[edit]

Descendants[edit]

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

Old Irish[edit]

Pronoun[edit]

an (triggers eclipsis, takes a leniting relative clause)

  1. Alternative form of a
    • c. 875, 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[edit]

·an

  1. third-person singular preterite conjunct of anaid

an

  1. second-person singular imperative of anaid

Mutation[edit]

Old Irish mutation
Radical Lenition Nasalization
an unchanged n-an
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every
possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Old Occitan[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Latin annus (“year”).

Noun[edit]

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

  1. year

Descendants[edit]

Old Saxon[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Germanic *an.

Preposition[edit]

an

  1. on, in

Romanian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

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

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

an m (plural ani)

  1. year

Declension[edit]

Declension of an
singular plural
indefinite articulation definite articulation indefinite articulation definite articulation
nominative/accusative (un) an anul (niște) ani anii
genitive/dative (unui) an anului (unor) ani anilor
vocative anule anilor

Derived terms[edit]

Romansch[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

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

Etymology[edit]

From Latin annus.

Noun[edit]

an m (plural ans)

  1. (Puter) year

Scots[edit]

Etymology[edit]

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[edit]

Conjunction[edit]

an

  1. and

Derived terms[edit]

Scottish Gaelic[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

From Old Irish a.

Pronoun[edit]

an

  1. their
Usage notes[edit]
  • This form of possessive pronoun is not used before nouns beginning with b, f, m or p, where am is used instead.

Etymology 2[edit]

From Old Irish i, from Proto-Celtic *en.

Preposition[edit]

an

  1. in
Usage notes[edit]
  • This form is not used before nouns beginning with b, f, m or p, where ann am is used instead.
Synonyms[edit]
Derived terms[edit]
  • The following prepositional pronouns (or ‘conjugated prepositions’):
Person Number Prepositional pronoun Prepositional pronoun (emphatic)
Singular 1st annam annamsa
2nd annad annadsa
3rd m ann annsan
3rd f innte inntese
Plural 1st annainn annainne
2nd annaibh annaibhse
3rd annta anntasan

Etymology 3[edit]

From Old Irish in.

Article[edit]

an

  1. the
Usage notes[edit]

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.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Siraya[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Austronesian *-an.

Noun[edit]

an

  1. place

Swedish[edit]

Etymology[edit]

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

Adverb[edit]

an

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

Related terms[edit]

Preposition[edit]

an

  1. (accounting) to

Anagrams[edit]

Torres Strait Creole[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From English hand.

Noun[edit]

an

  1. hand, lower arm
  2. flipper

Turkish[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

From Arabic آن‎ (ʾān).

Noun[edit]

an (definite accusative anı, plural anlar)

  1. moment
Declension[edit]
Inflection
Nominative an
Definite accusative anı
Singular Plural
Nominative an anlar
Definite accusative anı anları
Dative ana anlara
Locative anda anlarda
Ablative andan anlardan
Genitive anın anların
Possessive forms
Singular Plural
1st singular anım anlarım
2nd singular anın anların
3rd singular anı anları
1st plural anımız anlarımız
2nd plural anınız anlarınız
3rd plural anları anları

See also[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

Verb[edit]

an

  1. second-person singular imperative of anmak

Vietnamese[edit]

Etymology[edit]

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

Pronunciation[edit]

Adjective[edit]

an

  1. (only in compounds) safe, secure

Derived terms[edit]

Derived terms

Further reading[edit]

Vilamovian[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Conjunction[edit]

an

  1. and

Related terms[edit]

Numeral[edit]

ān

  1. one

Related terms[edit]

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