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• ben
  ben

  noun

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

  noun

  a first name, form of Benjamin.

ben

¹ American  

[ben] / bɛn /

noun

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

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adverb

1. within; inside.

adjective

1. inside; inner.

ben ² American  

[ben] / bɛn /

noun

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

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ben ³ American  

[ben] / bɛn /

noun

Scot., Irish.

1. a mountain peak; high hill.

   Ben Nevis.

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ben ⁴ American  

[ben] / bɛn /

Also Ben

1. son of (used especially in Hebrew and Arabic names).

   Moses ben Maimon.

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Ben ⁵ American  

[ben] / bɛn /

noun

1. a first name, form of Benjamin.

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ben ¹ British  

/ bɛn /

noun

1. an inner room in a house or cottage

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preposition

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

adjective

1. inner

ben ² British  

/ bɛn /

noun

1. 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

2. the seed of such a tree

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ben ³ British  

/ bɛn /

noun

1. a mountain peak (esp in place names)

   Ben Lomond

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Etymology

Origin of ben¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English (Scots); as adverb, an unexplained variant of late Middle English bin, Middle English binne, Old English binnan “within” (cognate with Old Frisian binna, Middle Dutch, German binnen ), equivalent to bi- “near, around” + innan “within”; see origin at be-, in

Origin of ben²

First recorded in 1550–60; from Arabic bān, the name of the tree

Origin of ben³

First recorded in 1780–90; from Scots Gaelic, Irish beann “peak”

Origin of ben⁴

From Hebrew bēn, Arabic bin “son”

Example Sentences

“The whole point is Ben Reilly gets captivated by her, and this is the lock in,” suggested Tiernan.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2026

Former Scotland winger Neil McCann believes the presence of Ben Gannon-Doak, a standout performer against Haiti, will be crucial in getting the Scots up the pitch.

From BBC • Jun. 16, 2026

Ben Klevay will welcome the museum by walking down the street in his “Can of Letters,” a giant wooden paint can, 42 inches across, with hand-lettering on the outside.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2026

The story has been the same in Charlotte where on Monday it was Ben Gannon-Doak's turn to make the media laugh.

From BBC • Jun. 15, 2026

Ben tucks the pages into his back pocket.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy