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• pen
  pen

  noun

  any of various instruments for writing or drawing with ink or a similar substance.
• pen-
  pen-

  variant of pene- before a vowel.
• Pen.
  Pen.

  abbreviation

  peninsula.
• P.E.N.
  P.E.N.

  abbreviation

  International Association of Poets, Playwrights, Editors, Essayists, and Novelists.
• PEN
  PEN

  acronym

  International Association of Poets, Playwrights, Editors, Essayists, and Novelists

pen

¹ American  

[pen] / pɛn /

noun

1. any of various instruments for writing or drawing with ink or a similar substance.

2. a detachable metal penpoint, filled by dipping or with a quill; nib.

3. such a penpoint with its penholder.

4. fountain pen.

5. ballpoint pen.

6. the pen as the instrument of writing or authorship.

   The pen is mightier than the sword.

7. a person's style or quality of writing.

   He writes with a witty, incisive pen.

8. a writer.

   I leave this story to abler pens.

9. the profession of writing.

   a master of the pen.

10. a pen-shaped device having a cartridge filled with a drug or medication.

    an insulin pen with disposable needles.

11. Computers. stylus.

12. Ornithology.

    1. a quill.

    2. a pinfeather.

13. something resembling or suggesting a feather or quill.

14. Zoology. an internal, corneous or chitinous, feather-shaped structure in certain cephalopods, as the squid.

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verb (used with object)

penned, penning

1. to write with or as with a pen; put down in writing.

   to pen an essay.

2. to draw with or as with a pen.

   to pen a sketch.

pen ² American  

[pen] / pɛn /

noun

1. a small enclosure for domestic animals.

2. animals so enclosed.

   We have a pen of twenty sheep.

3. an enclosure used for confinement or safekeeping.

   We have built several pens to hold our harvest of corn.

4. playpen.

5. bull pen.

6. a dock having a protective concrete structure overhead, used to service and repair submarines.

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verb (used with object)

penned, pent, penning

1. to confine in or as in a pen.

pen ³ American  

[pen] / pɛn /

noun

Slang.

1. penitentiary.

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pen ⁴ American  

[pen] / pɛn /

noun

1. a female swan.

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pen- ⁵ American  

1. variant of pene- before a vowel.

   penannular.

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Pen. ⁶ American  

Or pen.

abbreviation

1. peninsula.

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P.E.N. ⁷ American  

abbreviation

1. International Association of Poets, Playwrights, Editors, Essayists, and Novelists.

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pen ¹ British  

/ pɛn /

noun

1. an implement for writing or drawing using ink, formerly consisting of a sharpened and split quill, and now of a metal nib attached to a holder See also ballpoint fountain pen

2. the writing end of such an implement; nib

3. style of writing

4. 1. writing as an occupation

   2. the written word

      the pen is mightier than the sword

5. the long horny internal shell of a squid

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verb

1. (tr) to write or compose

pen ² British  

/ pɛn /

noun

1. an enclosure in which domestic animals are kept

   sheep pen

2. any place of confinement

3. a dock for servicing submarines, esp one having a bombproof roof

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verb

1. (tr) to enclose or keep in a pen

PEN ³ British  

/ pɛn /

acronym

1. International Association of Poets, Playwrights, Editors, Essayists, and Novelists

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Pen. ⁴ British  

abbreviation

1. Peninsula

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pen ⁵ British  

/ pɛn /

noun

1. informal short for penitentiary

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pen ⁶ British  

/ pɛn /

noun

1. a female swan

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pen Idioms  

1. see slip of the lip (pen).

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Other Word Forms

• penner
  noun
• penlike
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of pen¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English penn(e), from Old French penne “pen, feather,” from Late Latin penna “pen,” from Latin penna, pinna “feather, wing”

Origin of pen²

First recorded before 1000; (noun) Middle English penne, Old English penn (in compounds); perhaps akin to pin; (verb) Middle English pennen, derivative of the noun

Origin of pen³

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85; shortened form

Origin of pen⁴

First recorded in 1540–50; origin uncertain

Explanation

A pen is an ink-filled tool that you use for writing or drawing. Doing a crossword puzzle with a pen shows a lot of self confidence, since you can't erase your answers. Pen is also a verb meaning "to write," especially when you're writing something of literary value: "She's my favorite writer — I can't wait for her to pen another novel!" Then there's the pen that you keep your pet donkey safely inside (you can also say you pen him in there), and inspired by this "livestock enclosure" meaning there's also the slang for "penitentiary" or "jail."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pen pen- Pen. P.E.N. PEN penned penning pent

Earlier this year, it came out with the multidose KwikPen for Zepbound, which is less expensive than the single-dose pen.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026

In the Season 2 premiere of “Your Friends & Neighbors,” Jon Hamm’s Coop falls on his back while trying to steal a $100,000 Montblanc pen.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

Only a true and blustery hero can string it, much as we believe that only Damon can win a knife fight by wielding a pen.

From Salon ● Aug. 2, 2026

Such overarching public sentiment inspired Johnson to pen a 700-word essay on why that mindset was the “most interesting phenomenon happening on earth right now.”

From Slate ● Jul. 31, 2026

Glory tapped her chin with her pen again.

From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova

It is no longer only the artist that is put under contract but his pen- children, who are copyrighted by the middleman.

From Time Magazine Archive

Cross pen- and-pencil sets, records listened to twice and then abandoned, clothes that were too large, too small—that never seemed worth transporting to the increasingly cramped apartments he inhabited over the years.

From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri

He has a rather large pen- and language friend circle and through his efforts I received additional translations in 4 more artificial languages.

From Baron Pál Podmaniczky and the Norwegian Bible by Ilona, Martinovitsné Kutas

This is the pen- and-ink sketch drawn from memory by Hogarth, long after Fielding's death, to serve as a frontispiece for Murphy's edition of his works.

From Fielding by Dobson, Austin

And he called for pen- case and paper and wrote down what was graven on the first tablet.

From The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 06 by Burton, Richard Francis, Sir

“For now we’re with Marine Le Pen. The party functions well. But then, if somebody else comes along, that’s possible,” said Julie Apricena, 26, who works for the Front.

From New York Times ● Mar. 10, 2018

It is thought the House do cool: Sir W. Coventry's being for him provoked Sir R. Howard, and his party: Court all for W. Pen. 17th.

From The Diary of Samuel Pepys by Braybrooke, Richard Griffin, Baron

Given this emphasis on the social, it follows that the earliest materials in the P.E.N. archive strongly feature food, drink, and dance.

From Time ● Apr. 6, 2016

President John Galsworthy, in which he cites a resolution recently passed by P.E.N. leadership:

From Time ● Apr. 6, 2016

In the course of researching how South Asian writers circulated in literary London between the World Wars, I spent some time immersed in the Harry Ransom Center’s expansive P.E.N. archive.

From Time ● Apr. 6, 2016

After the startled press made hurried inquiries, the world learned that the winner had turned out an impressive body of work, was in his 60s, revered by his countrymen and active in the P.E.N.

From Time Magazine Archive

The Kulturbund in Vienna sends an emissary inviting him there also and, like Prague, the Vienna P.E.N.

From Gilbert Keith Chesterton by Ward, Maisie

PEN says that it is difficult to assess how much of what writers are experiencing “reflects matters of business or taste.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

In a 2008 speech at the PEN Literary Gala, the late Nobel Prize-winning Black novelist Toni Morrison anticipated this new-old order in Donald Trump’s America.

From Salon ● May 31, 2026

The writers' association PEN Berlin said Khatib's comments were protected by freedom of expression and that if Tuttle were to be sacked over them, it would cause "immense damage" to the festival.

From Barron's ● Feb. 26, 2026

In 2024, the translated English compilation of Mushtaq's five short story collections published between 1990 and 2012 - Haseena and Other Stories - won the PEN Translation Prize.

From BBC ● May 20, 2025

They held up their right hands and read the oath Nick had written out: From this day on and forever, I will never use the word PEN again.

From "Frindle" by Andrew Clements

Woodall still works at the Economist as the Asian editor, but the commemorative article published in the August issue was penned by Simon Cox.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 31, 2026

The 26-year-old, capped seven times by France, has penned a contract at Stamford Bridge until 2032.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

A talented wordsmith who writes his own books, and with a bestselling memoir penned before he considered running for office?

From Salon ● Jul. 29, 2026

To cope with her ambivalence, she penned a hazy, lovelorn track named “Abandoname.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026

On the memo, a wall-tower officer had penned in a telling editorial change in one sentence.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover

Prior to his TV career, Shalit was a senior film critic for Look Magazine, and continued to spend years penning columns in the New York Times, Ladies' Home Journal and TV Guide.

From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026

They had to find new ways to use their two best players, center Karl-Anthony Towns and point guard Jalen Brunson, instead of penning them into pre-defined roles.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 5, 2026

By the time she had finished penning the propulsive tale, “I almost felt like I owed them an apology,” Arnott admits.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 3, 2026

He studied and wrote poetry in detention, penning his verses on cigarette boxes when he couldn't access paper.

From Barron's ● Feb. 16, 2026

There seemed to be nothing penning them in.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Aswan remembers taking her driving theory test: "I got so pent up about passing it first time that when I failed by a couple of points I've never tried to get it back."

From BBC ● Nov. 19, 2025

Having been pent up for so long, friendless and homesick, they go wild in the safety of Luna’s generic apartment, which scenic designer Tanya Orellana furnishes with makeshift graduate school touches.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2025

Toxic energy and animosity get pent up, and carried out into the yard.

From Slate ● Oct. 8, 2025

And when Anisimova’s final return of serve flew wide, Sabalenka released all of the pent up tension by sinking to her knees and weeping onto the court.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2025

I could feel the evilness flowing through my body and waiting, pent up, to rush off my tongue if I tried to open my mouth.

From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou

Related Words

• fountain pen
• marker
• stick