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Webster 1913 Edition

An

An

(ăn)
.
[AS.
ān
one, the same word as the numeral. See
One
, and cf.
A
.]
This word is properly an adjective, but is commonly called the indefinite article. It is used before nouns of the singular number only, and signifies one, or any, but somewhat less emphatically. In such expressions as “twice an hour,” “once an age,” a shilling an ounce (see 2d
A
, 2), it has a distributive force, and is equivalent to each, every.
☞ An is used before a word beginning with a vowel sound; as, an enemy, an hour. It in also often used before h sounded, when the accent of the word falls on the second syllable; as, an historian, an hyena, an heroic deed. Many writers use a before h in such positions. Anciently an was used before consonants as well as vowels.

An

,
c
onj.
[Shortened fr.
and
, OE.
an
.,
and
, sometimes
and if
, in introducing conditional clauses, like Icel.
enda
if, the same word as
and
. Prob.
and
was originally pleonastic before the conditional clause.]
If; – a word used by old English authors.
Shak.
Nay,
an
thou dalliest, then I am thy foe.
B. Jonson.
An if
,
and if; if.

Webster 1828 Edition

An

AN

,
Adj.
[L. unus, una, unum; Gr.]
One; noting an individual, either definitely, known, certain, specified, or understood; or indefinitely, not certain, known, or specified. Definitely, as 'Noah built an ark of Gopher wood.' 'Paul was an eminent apostle.' Indefinitely, as 'Bring me an orange.' Before a consonant the letter n is dropped, as a man; but our ancestors wrote an man, an king. This letter represents an definitely, or indefinitely. Definitely, as 'I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God.' Ex. 6. Indefinitely, as 'the province of a judge is to decide controversies.' An being the same word as one, should not be used with it; 'such an one' is tautology; the true phrase is such one. Although an, a and one, are the same word, and always have the same sense, yet by custom, an and a are used exclusively as a definite adjective, and one is used in numbering. Where our ancestors wrote an, twa, thry, we now use one, two, three. So an and a are never used except with a noun; but one like other adjectives, is sometimes used without its noun, and as a substitute for it; 'one is at a loss to assign a reason for such conduct.'

AN

, in old English authors, signifies if; as, 'an it please your honor.' Gr.; L. an, if or whether. It is probably an imperative, like if, gif, give.

Definition 2024

än

än

See also: än', -än, aen, Aen, aeñ, a-en, and Appendix:Variations of "an"

Finnish

Noun

än

  1. The name of the Latin-script letter N/n.

Declension

Declension of än (irregular)
singular plural
nominative än ännät
genitive ännän ännien
partitive ännää änniä
accusative än
ännän		 ännät
inessive ännässä ännissä
elative ännästä ännistä
illative ännään änniin
adessive ännällä ännillä
ablative ännältä änniltä
allative ännälle ännille
essive ännänä änninä
translative änniksi änniksi
instructive – ännin
abessive ännättä ännittä
comitative – ännineen

Swedish

Etymology

From Old Norse enn, from Proto-Germanic *andi, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂entí.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɛnː/
  • Homophones: en, N, n

Adverb

än (not comparable)

  1. still, yet (about time)
    Är du kvar än?
    Are you still here?
    Det är inte midnatt än
    It is not midnight yet.
  2. no matter
    Hur jag än försökte, kunde jag inte öppna mina ögon.
    No matter how I tried, I could not open my eyes.

Synonyms

Conjunction

än

  1. than; in comparisons, states a relationship
    Han är större än du tror (att han är).
    He is bigger than you think (he is).

Noun

än

  1. indefinite plural of ä

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