en
noun
the letter N, n.
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en-a prefix occurring originally in loanwords from French and productive in English on this model, forming verbs with the general sense “to cause (a person or thing) to be in” the place, condition, or state named by the stem; more specifically, “to confine in or place on” (enshrine; enthrone; entomb ); “to cause to be in” (enslave; entrust; enrich; encourage; endear ); “to restrict” in the manner named by the stem, typically with the additional sense “on all sides, completely” (enwind; encircle; enclose; entwine ). This prefix is also attached to verbs in order to make them transitive, or to give them a transitive marker if they are already transitive (enkindle; enliven; enshield; enface ).
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-en
-ena suffix formerly used to form transitive and intransitive verbs from adjectives (fasten; harden; sweeten ), or from nouns (heighten; lengthen; strengthen ).
en
1 American
[en]
/ ɛn /
noun
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the letter N, n.
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Also called nut. Printing. half of the width of an em.
adjective
EN
2
American
abbreviation
Biology, Ecology.
en-
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American
en-
4
American
-en
5
American
-en
6
American
-en
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American
-en
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American
-en
9
American
en-
1
British
prefix
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(from nouns)
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put in or on
entomb
enthrone
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go on or into
enplane
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surround or cover with
enmesh
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furnish with
empower
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(from adjectives and nouns) cause to be in a certain condition
enable
encourage
enrich
enslave
EN
2
British
abbreviation
-
enrolled nurse
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English Nature
-en
3
British
suffix
-en
4
British
suffix
en-
5
British
prefix
en
6
British
/ ɛn /
noun
Etymology
Origin of en1
First recorded in 1785–95
Origin of en-3
Middle English < Old French < Latin in- in- 2
Origin of en-4
From Greek (often through Latin ); cognate with in- 1, in- 2
Origin of -en5
Middle English, Old English -n- (as in Middle English fastnen, Old English fǣstnian “to make fast, fasten”); cognate with -n- of like verbs in other Germanic languages ( Old Norse fastna )
Origin of -en6
Middle English, Old English; cognate with Old High German -īn, Gothic -eins, Latin -īnus; see -ine 1
Origin of -en7
Middle English, Old English; cognate with German -en, Old Norse -inn
Origin of -en8
Middle English; Old English -an, case ending of n-stem nouns, as in naman oblique singular, and nominative and accusative plural of nama “name”; akin to n-stem forms in other Indo-European languages, as in Latin nōmen, nōmin- “name”
Origin of -en9
Middle English, Old English, from neuter of -en 2
Vocabulary lists containing en
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Three of the additional bedrooms also include en suite bathrooms.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026
More U.S. warships are en route, carrying thousands of Marines.
From Slate ● Oct. 30, 2026
He defied the court’s order to turn over his passport, a Brazilian official said, as authorities investigated reports that he had fled to Argentina en route to the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
By creating more demand for new homes, he said, the hope is that builders will respond en masse.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2026
If my goal is to pull the files for the remaining boys whose families we haven’t visited there’s no way for me to do so en masse.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
Erin Marshall, a US interior designer, actually specialises in EN renovations.
From The Guardian ● Dec. 21, 2019
At EN, a Japanese brasserie in the West Village, a waiter presented him with a small wooden box containing a Shout stain-remover towelette, a white cloth napkin, and a white paper napkin.
From The New Yorker ● Sep. 10, 2018
PARIS— Bouygues SA, EN 4.07 % the French construction-to-media conglomerate, has taken a clear step toward choosing a successor to Chairman and Chief Executive Martin Bouygues by naming two more deputy CEOs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2016
EN ROUTE Mr. Green uploads photographs to his website, imjustwalking.com.
From New York Times ● Mar. 24, 2012
EN GIN EER', one who manages an engine.
From Sanders' Union Fourth Reader by Charles W. Sanders
We en- courage states to continue to fight this public men- ace and pledge our commitment to children’s safety and well-being.
From Time ● Jul. 18, 2016
He en- tered the house shouting, “Hey, where are you?”
From MSNBC ● Oct. 22, 2014
Out of the car stepped a man dressed in the sky-blue uniform of a French officer; on his head was a cap with a dome en- circled by hoops of gold.
From Time Magazine Archive
Ten years ago, he en- deavored to explain telepathic phenomena as being due to a sixth sense, a view in which Mrs. Sedgwick concurred.
From Time Magazine Archive
In 1886 the big packing-house strike broke out in Chicago and Adam’s regiment en- trained, but the strike was settled before they were needed.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
All three have names that end in -en, which may or may not be relevant.
From The Guardian ● Jul. 13, 2021
The feminine “vixen” represents the O. Eng. fyxen, due to the change from o to y, and addition of the feminine termination -en, cf.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 7 "Fox, George" to "France" by Various
Knowing, too, that the message came from Walter Pennold, we can safely assume that -en is Pen.
From The Crevice by Will Grefé
The omission not only of the gerundial termination -enne, but also of the infinitive sign -en after to; to honte, to speke;—in contradistinction to Semi-Saxon.
From A Handbook of the English Language by R. G. (Robert Gordon) Latham
It will be seen that the adjectives are chiefly derivatives in -ig, -en, -er, -līc, and -sum.
From Anglo-Saxon Grammar and Exercise Book with Inflections, Syntax, Selections for Reading, and Glossary by C. Alphonso (Charles Alphonso) Smith
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