an^*ən; when stressed æn(indefinite article.)

1. an historian.

   Category: Function Word, Usage Note

   Ref: the form of a1 2 1 before an initial vowel sound

^* Usage: See a1 .

Origin of an:

bef. 950; ME; OE ānone

an^*ən; when stressed æn(prep.)

1. 14 dollars an ounce; 55 miles an hour.

   Category: Usage Note

   Ref: the form of a2 2 2 before an initial vowel sound

^* Usage: See per.

anən; when stressed æn(conj.)

or an' ; 'n, 'n'

1. Pron. Spelling.

   Category: Function Word

   Ref: and.

2. Archaic.

   Category: Function Word

   Ref: if. 1

Origin of an:

1125–75; ME, unstressed phonetic var. of and

an-

1. a prefix occurring orig. in loanwords from Greek, with the meanings “not,”“without,”“lacking” (

   anaerobic; anhydrous; anonymous

   Category: Affix

   Ref: Compare a -6. 11 6

Origin of an-:

< Gk

an-

1. var. of ad- before

   n: announce.

   Category: Affix

an-

1. var. of ana- before a vowel:

   anion.

   Category: Affix

-an

1. a suffix with the general sense “of, pertaining to, having qualities of,” occurring orig. in adjectives borrowed from Latin and formed from nouns denoting places (

   Roman; urban

   Augustan

   Category: Common Vocabulary, Affix

Origin of -an:

ME < L -ānus; or r. -ain, -en < OF < L

-an

1. a suffix used in the names of organic chemical compounds, esp. polysaccharides:

   pentosan; xanthan.

   Category: Affix, Chemistry

Origin of -an:

of uncert. orig.

An

1. Chem. Symbol. actinon.

   Category: Chemistry

an.

1. in the year.

Origin of an.:

< L annō