a
1[ uh; when stressed ey ]
/ ə; when stressed eɪ /
Save This Word!
indefinite article
VIDEO FOR A
Thesaurus.com Presents The Gigantic, Gratifying, Grammar Gameshow
YES, grammar can be fun ... keep watching ... because we've asked these 2 people to join our first ever Gigantic, Gratifying, Grammar Gameshow.
QUIZ
ALL IN FAVO(U)R OF THIS BRITISH VS. AMERICAN ENGLISH QUIZ
There's an ocean of difference between the way people speak English in the US vs. the UK. Are your language skills up to the task of telling the difference? Let's find out!
Question 1 of 7
True or false? British English and American English are only different when it comes to slang words.
Origin of a
1First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English; originally preconsonantal phonetic variant of an1
grammar notes for a
In both spoken and written English the choice of a1 or an1 is determined by the initial sound of the word that follows. Before a consonant sound, a is used; before a vowel sound, an : a book, a rose; an apple, an opera. Problems arise occasionally when the following word begins with a vowel letter but actually starts with a consonant sound, or vice versa. Some words beginning with the vowel letter u and all words beginning with the vowel letters eu are pronounced with a beginning consonant sound, as if the first letter were y : a union; a European. Some other spellings that begin with a vowel letter may also stand for an initial consonant sound: a ewe; a ewer. The words one and once and all compounds of which they are the first element begin with a w sound: a one-room apartment; a once-famous actor.
The names of the consonant letters f, h, l, m, n, r, s, and x are pronounced with a beginning vowel sound. When these letters are used as words or to form words, they are preceded by an : to rent an L-shaped studio; to fly an SST. The names of the vowel letter u and the semivowel letters w and y are pronounced with a beginning consonant sound. When used as words, they are preceded by a : a U-turn; The plumber installed a Y in the line.
In some words beginning with the letter h, the h is not pronounced; the words actually begin with a vowel sound: an hour; an honor. When the h is strongly pronounced, as in a stressed syllable at the beginning of a word, it is preceded by a : a history of the Sioux; a hero sandwich. (In former times an was used before strongly pronounced h in a stressed first syllable: an hundred. ) Such adjectives as historic, historical, heroic, and habitual, which begin with an unstressed syllable and often with a silent or weakly pronounced h, are commonly preceded by an, especially in British English. But the use of a rather than an is widespread in both speech and writing: a historical novel; a habitual criminal. Hotel and unique are occasionally preceded by an, but this use is increasingly old-fashioned. Although in some dialects an has yielded to a in all cases, edited writing reflects usage as described above.
The names of the consonant letters f, h, l, m, n, r, s, and x are pronounced with a beginning vowel sound. When these letters are used as words or to form words, they are preceded by an : to rent an L-shaped studio; to fly an SST. The names of the vowel letter u and the semivowel letters w and y are pronounced with a beginning consonant sound. When used as words, they are preceded by a : a U-turn; The plumber installed a Y in the line.
In some words beginning with the letter h, the h is not pronounced; the words actually begin with a vowel sound: an hour; an honor. When the h is strongly pronounced, as in a stressed syllable at the beginning of a word, it is preceded by a : a history of the Sioux; a hero sandwich. (In former times an was used before strongly pronounced h in a stressed first syllable: an hundred. ) Such adjectives as historic, historical, heroic, and habitual, which begin with an unstressed syllable and often with a silent or weakly pronounced h, are commonly preceded by an, especially in British English. But the use of a rather than an is widespread in both speech and writing: a historical novel; a habitual criminal. Hotel and unique are occasionally preceded by an, but this use is increasingly old-fashioned. Although in some dialects an has yielded to a in all cases, edited writing reflects usage as described above.
Words nearby a
Other definitions for a (2 of 28)
a2
[ uh; when stressed ey ]
/ ə; when stressed eɪ /
preposition
each; every; per: ten cents a sheet; three times a day.
Other definitions for a (3 of 28)
a3
[ uh ]
/ ə /
preposition
Informal. a reduced, unstressed form of of (often written as part of a single, unhyphenated word): cloth a gold; time a day; kinda; sorta.
Origin of a
3Middle English; unstressed preconsonantal variant of of1
Other definitions for a (4 of 28)
a4
[ uh ]
/ ə /
auxiliary verb Informal.
a reduced, unstressed form of auxiliary have following some modals, as might, should, could, would, and must (usually written as part of a single, unhyphenated word): We shoulda gone.
Compare of2.
Origin of a
4First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English; a phonetic variant of have
Other definitions for a (5 of 28)
Origin of a
5First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English a, ha
Other definitions for a (6 of 28)
a6
abbreviation Measurements.
are; ares.
Other definitions for a (7 of 28)
a'
or a
[ ah, aw ]
/ ɑ, ɔ /
adjective Scots
all: for a' that.
Other definitions for a (8 of 28)
A1
or a
[ ey ]
/ eɪ /
noun, plural A's or As, a's or as.
the first letter of the English alphabet, a vowel.
any spoken sound represented by the letter A or a, as in bake, hat, father, or small.
something having the shape of an A.
a written or printed representation of the letter A or a.
a device, as a printer's type, for reproducing the letter A or a.
Other definitions for a (9 of 28)
A2
abbreviation
Other definitions for a (10 of 28)
A3
Symbol.
Other definitions for a (11 of 28)
a-1
a reduced form of the Old English preposition on, meaning “on,” “in,” “into,” “to,” “toward,” preserved before a noun in a prepositional phrase, forming a predicate adjective or an adverbial element (afoot; abed; ashore; aside; away), or before an adjective (afar; aloud; alow), as a moribund prefix with a verb (acknowledge), and in archaic and dialectal use before a present participle in -ing (set the bells aringing); and added to a verb stem with the force of a present participle (ablaze; agape; aglow; astride; and originally, awry).
Other definitions for a (12 of 28)
a-2
a reduced form of the Old English preposition of: akin; afresh; anew.
Origin of a-
2Middle English; see a3
Other definitions for a (13 of 28)
a-3
an old point-action prefix, not referring to an act as a whole, but only to the beginning or end: She arose (rose up). They abided by their beliefs (remained faithful to the end).
Origin of a-
3Other definitions for a (14 of 28)
Other definitions for a (15 of 28)
a-5
variant of ad-, used: (1) before sc, sp, st (ascend) and (2) in words of French derivation (often with the sense of increase, addition): amass.
Other definitions for a (16 of 28)
Other definitions for a (17 of 28)
A-
atomic (used in combination): A-bomb; A-plant.
Other definitions for a (18 of 28)
-a1
a plural ending of nouns borrowed from Greek and Latin: phenomena; criteria; data; errata; genera.
Other definitions for a (19 of 28)
-a2
a feminine singular ending of nouns borrowed from Latin and Greek, also used in New Latin coinages to Latinize bases of any origin, and as a Latin substitute for the feminine ending -ē of Greek words: anabaena;cinchona;pachysandra.
Other definitions for a (20 of 28)
-a3
an ending of personal names forming feminines from masculines: Georgia; Roberta.
Origin of -a
3Other definitions for a (21 of 28)
-a4
a suffix designating the oxide of the chemical element denoted by the stem: alumina; ceria; thoria.
Origin of -a
4Probably generalized from the -a of magnesia
Other definitions for a (22 of 28)
Å
Symbol, Physics.
angstrom.
Other definitions for a (23 of 28)
a.1
abbreviation
year.
Origin of a.
1<Latin annō, ablative of annus
Other definitions for a (24 of 28)
a.2
abbreviation
before.
Origin of a.
2From the Latin word ante
Other definitions for a (25 of 28)
a.3
abbreviation
Other definitions for a (26 of 28)
A.1
abbreviation
year.
Origin of A.
1<Latin annō, ablative of annus
Other definitions for a (27 of 28)
A.2
abbreviation
before.
Origin of A.
2From the Latin word ante
Other definitions for a (28 of 28)
A.3
abbreviation
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use a in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for a (1 of 11)
a1
/ (ə, stressed or emphatic eɪ) /
determiner (indefinite article; used before an initial consonant)
British Dictionary definitions for a (2 of 11)
British Dictionary definitions for a (3 of 11)
a3
/ (ə) /
preposition
(usually linked to the preceding noun) an informal form of of sorta sad; a kinda waste
British Dictionary definitions for a (4 of 11)
British Dictionary definitions for a (5 of 11)
a
A
/ (eɪ) /
noun plural a's, A's or As
the first letter and first vowel of the modern English alphabet
any of several speech sounds represented by this letter, in English as in take, bag, calm, shortage, or cobra
Also called: alpha the first in a series, esp the highest grade or mark, as in an examination
from A to Z from start to finish, thoroughly and in detail
British Dictionary definitions for a (6 of 11)
British Dictionary definitions for a (7 of 11)
A
symbol for
abbreviation for
Austria (international car registration)
Word Origin for A
from Latin a (ffirmo) I affirm
British Dictionary definitions for a (8 of 11)
a-1
before a vowel an-
prefix
not; without; opposite toatonal; asocial
Word Origin for a-
from Greek a-, an- not, without
British Dictionary definitions for a (9 of 11)
a-2
prefix
on; in; towardsafoot; abed; aground; aback
literary, or archaic (used before a present participle) in the act or process ofcome a-running; go a-hunting
in the condition or state ofafloat; alive; asleep
British Dictionary definitions for a (10 of 11)
Å
symbol for
angstrom unit
British Dictionary definitions for a (11 of 11)
A.
abbreviation for
acre(s) or acreage
America(n)
answer
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for a (1 of 3)
A
Abbreviation of adenine, ampere, angstrom, area
Scientific definitions for a (2 of 3)
a-
A prefix meaning without or not when forming an adjective (such as amorphous, without form, or atypical, not typical), and absence of when forming a noun (such as arrhythmia, absence of rhythm). Before a vowel or h it becomes an- (as in anhydrous, anoxia).
Scientific definitions for a (3 of 3)
Å
Abbreviation of angstrom
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.