Jump To:

• dan
  dan

  noun

  a degree of expertise in karate, judo, tae kwon do, etc., usually signified by the wearing of a cloth belt of a particular color; level.
• Dan
  Dan

  noun
• Dan.
  Dan.

  abbreviation

  Daniel.

dan

¹ American  

[dahn, dan] / dɑn, dæn /

noun

Martial Arts.

1. a degree of expertise in karate, judo, tae kwon do, etc., usually signified by the wearing of a cloth belt of a particular color; level.

   a sixth-degree dan.

---

Dan ² American  

[dan] / dæn /

noun

1. 1. (in the Bible) a son of Jacob and Bilhah.

   2. one of the 12 tribes of ancient Israel, traditionally descended from him.

2. the northernmost city of ancient Palestine.

3. a male given name, form of Daniel.

---

idioms

1. from Dan to Beersheba, from one outermost extreme or limit to the other.

Dan ³ American  

[dan] / dæn /

noun

Archaic.

1. a title of honor equivalent to master or sir:

   Dan Chaucer.

---

Dan. ⁴ American  

abbreviation

1. Bible. Daniel.

2. Danish. Also Dan

---

Dan ¹ British  

/ dæn /

noun

1. 1. the fourth son of Jacob (Genesis 30:1–6)

   2. the tribe descended from him

2. a city in the northern territory of Canaan

---

Dan. ² British  

abbreviation

1. Bible Daniel

2. Danish

---

dan ³ British  

/ dæn /

noun

1. any one of the 10 black-belt grades of proficiency

2. a competitor entitled to dan grading

---

Dan ⁴ British  

/ dæn /

noun

1. an archaic title of honour, equivalent to Master or Sir

   Dan Chaucer

---

dan ⁵ British  

/ dæn /

noun

1. Also called: dan buoy.  a small buoy used as a marker at sea

---

Etymology

Origin of dan¹

First recorded in 1940–45; from Japanese, from Middle Chinese, equivalent to Chinese duàn “step, grade”

Origin of Dan³

1275–1325; Middle English < Old French danz < Medieval Latin domnus, contraction of Latin dominus “lord, master”

Example Sentences

“The fact that they’re willing to go to risk production means they’re ready to take on external customers,” Dan Hutcheson, vice chair of TechInsights, told MarketWatch.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 16, 2026

New defence secretary Dan Jarvis is currently reviewing how the money will be spent - but there has been no suggestion from No 10 that extra cash will be found.

From BBC • Jun. 16, 2026

“It was a nice validation of our strategy to be the music service that we as music freaks would like to see,” said Dan Mackta, Qobuz’s managing director for North America.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2026

Readers shared their signs of the top: Dan Weil says it’s when country clubs do expensive renovations because it means members feel like they have money to burn.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 15, 2026

Little Jeffrey was shipped off to his nearest relatives, Aunt Dot and Uncle Dan.

From "Maniac Magee" by Jerry Spinelli