an

¹

[ uhn; when stressed an ]

indefinite article

1. the form of a before an initial vowel sound ( an arch; an honor ) and sometimes, especially in British English, before an initial unstressed syllable beginning with a silent or weakly pronounced h :

   an historian.

an-

²

1. a prefix occurring before stems beginning with a vowel or h in loanwords from Greek, where it means “not,” “without,” “lacking” ( anarchy; anecdote ); used in the formation of compound words:

   anelectric.

an

³

[ uhn; when stressed an ]

conjunction

1. Informal. and.
2. Archaic. if.

an-

⁴

1. variant of ad- before n: announce.

an-

⁵

1. variant of ana- before a vowel:

   anion.

An

⁶

[ ahn ]

noun

1. the Sumerian god of heaven: the counterpart of the Akkadian Anu.

An

⁷

Symbol, Chemistry.

1. actinon.

AN

⁸

or A.-N.

abbreviation for

1. Anglo-Norman.

-an

⁹

1. a suffix occurring originally in adjectives borrowed from Latin, formed from nouns denoting places ( Roman; urban ) or persons ( Augustan ), and now productively forming English adjectives by extension of the Latin pattern. Attached to geographic names, it denotes provenance or membership ( American; Chicagoan; Tibetan ), the latter sense now extended to membership in social classes, religious denominations, etc., in adjectives formed from various kinds of noun bases ( Episcopalian; pedestrian; Puritan; Republican ) and membership in zoological taxa ( acanthocephalan; crustacean ). Attached to personal names, it has the additional senses “contemporary with” ( Elizabethan; Jacobean ) or “proponent of ” ( Hegelian; Freudian ) the person specified by the noun base. The suffix -an, and its variant -ian also occurs in a set of personal nouns, mainly loanwords from French, denoting one who engages in, practices, or works with the referent of the base noun ( comedian; grammarian; historian; theologian ); this usage is especially productive with nouns ending in -ic ( electrician; logician; technician ). See -ian for relative distribution with that suffix.

an.

¹⁰

abbreviation for

1. in the year.

A.N.

¹¹

abbreviation for

1. Anglo-Norman.
2. Associate in Nursing.

AN

¹

abbreviation for

1. Anglo-Norman

an

²

/ æn; ən /

determiner

1. a form of the indefinite article used before an initial vowel sound

   an honour

   an old car

   an elf

an

³

the internet domain name for

1. Netherlands Antilles

an

⁴

/ æn; ən /

conjunction

1. subordinating an obsolete or dialect word for if See and

An

⁵

the chemical symbol for

1. actinon

an-

⁶

prefix

1. not; without

   anaphrodisiac

-an

⁷

suffix

1. forming adjectives and nouns belonging to or relating to; a person belonging to or coming from

   European

2. forming adjectives and nouns typical of or resembling; a person typical of

   Elizabethan

3. forming adjectives and nouns adhering to or following; an adherent of

   Christian

4. forming nouns a person who specializes or is expert in

   phonetician

   dietitian

An

⁸

/ ɑːn /

noun

1. myth the Sumerian sky god Babylonian counterpartAnu

Usage

An was formerly often used before words that begin with h and are unstressed on the first syllable: an hotel ; an historic meeting . Sometimes the initial h was not pronounced. This usage is now becoming obsolete

Grammar Note

See a ¹.

Word History and Origins

Origin of an¹

before 950; Middle English; Old English ān one in a weakened sense

Origin of an²

< Greek. See a- ⁶, in- ³, un- ¹

Origin of an³

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English, unstressed phonetic variant of and

Origin of an⁴

Middle English < Latin -ānus, -āna, -ānum; in some words replacing -ain, -en < Old French < Latin

Origin of an⁵

From the Latin word annō

Word History and Origins

Origin of an¹

Old English ān one

Origin of an²

from Greek

Origin of an³

from Latin -ānus, suffix of adjectives

Example Sentences

“I’ve always had a weird imagination,” Hsiao said as she continued to work on an emerging large-scale vase.

From Los Angeles Times

“Knotwork LA was created as an outlet to identify the work we do in our spare time,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times

She started with an order of more than 800 plates and dishes for Curtis Stone’s restaurant, Gwen, in Hollywood.

From Los Angeles Times

The studio is now an artist’s dream, with two kilns, ample space to work, storage and a dedicated area where Hsiao can pack her orders.

From Los Angeles Times

Despite feeling like an empty vessel sometimes — “much of it feels like there are never enough hours in the day,” she said — Hsiao knows time spent with her kids is fleeting.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• an