Aden

[ ahd-n, eyd-n ]

/ ˈɑd n, ˈeɪd n /

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noun

a seaport in and the economic capital of the Republic of Yemen, in the southern part: formerly the center of a British colony.

Colony of Aden, a former British colony on the Gulf of Aden and a member of the former Federation of South Arabia. 75 sq. mi. (194 sq. km).Also called State of A·den.

Protectorate of Aden, former name, until 1962, of the former Protectorate of South Arabia.

Gulf of Aden, an arm of the Arabian Sea between Arabia and the eastern tip of Africa.

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Origin of Aden

First recorded in 1640–60; from Arabic ʿAdin, ʿAdan, perhaps ultimately from Akkadian edin(n)u “plain,” from Sumerian eden “plain, steppe”; see Eden¹

Other definitions for Aden (2 of 2)

aden-

variant of adeno- before a vowel: adenitis.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

WORDS THAT USE ADEN-

What does aden- mean?

Aden- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “gland.” It is often used in medical terms, especially in anatomy.

Aden- comes from the Greek adḗn, meaning “gland.” This Greek root is ultimately the source of adenoids, the enlarged masses of lymphoid tissue in the upper pharynx, often obstructing breathing through the nasal passages.

Aden- is a variant of adeno-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use adeno- article.

Examples of aden-

An example of a word you may have encountered that features aden- is adenectomy, “the surgical excision of a gland.” An adenoidectomy, if you’re wondering, is the specific term for the removal of the adenoids.

The first half of the word, aden-, means “gland,” as we now know. The second component, –ectomy, may be familiar to you as well. It appears in such words as appendectomy and tonsillectomy. The form -ectomy means “excision,” or the removal of part of all of an organ. The word adenectomy, then, translates literally to “gland excision.”

What are some words that use the combining form aden-?

What are some other forms that aden– may be commonly confused with?

Break it down!

The combining form -itis denotes “inflammation.” Adenitis, generally speaking, involves the inflammation of what part of the body?

How to use Aden in a sentence

On October 14, Al Hirak held its largest protest ever with more than 100,000 people attending a rally in the port city of Aden.
Yemen’s a Model All Right—For Disaster|Michael Shank , Casey Harrity|November 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If I had one wish here, it would be for Aden Young to sneak a surprise nod for Rectify.
Emmys 2014: Who Will and Who Should Be Nominated|Kevin Fallon|July 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The pipes and drums then commenced to play “The Barren Rocks of Aden.”
Michael Daly: My Last Day With JFK|Michael Daly|November 11, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The temperature on the water in the Gulf of Aden can reach 100 and above.
‘You Have 30 Seconds’: The Real Captain Phillips’s Gripping Memoir|Captain Richard Phillips, Stephan Talty|October 11, 2013|DAILY BEAST

What is new is the rapid growth of these franchises—associated cells and sympathetic movements from Algeria to Aden.
The Coming of Al Qaeda 3.0|Bruce Riedel|August 6, 2013|DAILY BEAST
All my poor men feel the change very much, coming from the heat of Aden.
Letters of Lt.-Col. George Brenton Laurie|George Brenton Laurie
I have been told that they each discovered their wretched mistake before they got to the Gulf of Aden.
The Tigress|Anne Warner
It is sufficient to state that the British political dependency of Aden is, ethnologically, an Arab town.
The Ethnology of the British Colonies and Dependencies|Robert Gordon Latham
The rock of Aden, bare, rugged and unattractive in appearance, rose before us; in due time we were at anchor in the bay.
Recollections of Thirty-nine Years in the Army|Charles Alexander Gordon
At Aden, where they suffer much from humidity, the mouse-mill is or has been surrounded with burning carbon.
Heroes of the Telegraph|J. Munro

British Dictionary definitions for Aden

Aden

/ (ˈeɪdən) /

noun

the main port and commercial capital of Yemen, on the N coast of the Gulf of Aden, an arm of the Indian Ocean at the entrance to the Red Sea: capital of South Yemen until 1990: formerly an important port of call on shipping routes to the East. Pop: 584 000 (2005 est)

a former British colony and protectorate on the S coast of the Arabian Peninsula: became part of South Yemen in 1967, now part of Yemen. Area: 195 sq km (75 sq miles)

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

Medical definitions for Aden

aden-

pref.

Variant ofadeno-

Cultural definitions for Aden

Aden

[ (ah-dn, ay-dn) ]

Capital and chief port of Yemen, located on the Gulf of Aden, near the southwest corner of the Arabian Peninsula and the southern entrance of the Red Sea.

notes for Aden

Its strategic location and excellent harbor have made Aden an important trading center of southern Arabia since ancient times, as well as a coveted conquest.