definitions

ben

1
[ ben ]
/ bɛn /
Scot.
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR ben ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the inner or back room of a two-room cottage, especially when used as a combined parlor and bedroom.

adverb, preposition

within; inside.

adjective

inside; inner.

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RELATED WORDS

boy, heir, relative, sibling, child, descendant, lad, male, disciple, native, fils

Nearby words

bemoan, bemock, bemuddle, bemuse, bemused, ben, ben bella, ben day process, ben hur, ben lomond, ben nevis

Origin of ben

1
1400–50; late Middle English (Scots); as adv., unexplained variant of late Middle English bin, Middle English binne, Old English binnan (cognate with Old Frisian binna, Middle Dutch, German binnen), equivalent to bi- be- + innan within (cf. in)

Definition for ben (2 of 5)

ben

2
[ ben ]
/ bɛn /

noun

the seed of a tropical tree, Moringa pterygosperma, that yields an oil (ben oil) used in manufacturing cosmetics and lubricating delicate machinery.
Compare horseradish tree.

Origin of ben

2
First recorded in 1550–60, ben is from the Arabic word bān

Definition for ben (3 of 5)

ben

3
[ ben ]
/ bɛn /

noun Scot., Irish.

a mountain peak; high hill: Ben Nevis.

Origin of ben

3
1780–90; < Scots Gaelic, Irish beann peak

Definition for ben (4 of 5)

ben

4
[ ben ]
/ bɛn /

noun (often initial capital letter)

son of (used especially in Hebrew and Arabic names): Moses ben Maimon.

Definition for ben (5 of 5)

Ben

[ ben ]
/ bɛn /

noun

a male given name, form of Benjamin.

Can be confused

bean been Ben bin
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for ben

British Dictionary definitions for ben (1 of 3)

ben

1
/ (bɛn) Scot /

noun

an inner room in a house or cottage

preposition, adverb

in; within; inside; into the inner part (of a house)

adjective

inner
Compare but 2

Word Origin for ben

Old English binnan, from be- + innan inside

British Dictionary definitions for ben (2 of 3)

ben

2
/ (bɛn) /

noun

any of several Asiatic trees of the genus Moringa, esp M. oleifera of Arabia and India, whose seeds yield oil of ben, used in manufacturing perfumes and cosmetics, lubricating delicate machinery, etc: family Moringaceae
the seed of such a tree

Word Origin for ben

C15: from Arabic bān

British Dictionary definitions for ben (3 of 3)

ben

3
/ (bɛn) /

noun

Scot and Irish a mountain peak (esp in place names)Ben Lomond

Word Origin for ben

C18: from Gaelic beinn, from beann
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