en
noun
the letter N, n.
Jump To:
-
en
-
EN
-
en-
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 ).
-
-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
-
the letter N, n.
-
Also called nut. Printing. half of the width of an em.
adjective
EN
2
American
abbreviation
Biology, Ecology.
en-
3
American
en-
4
American
-en
5
American
-en
6
American
-en
7
American
-en
8
American
-en
9
American
en-
1
British
prefix
-
(from nouns)
-
put in or on
entomb
enthrone
-
go on or into
enplane
-
surround or cover with
enmesh
-
furnish with
empower
-
-
(from adjectives and nouns) cause to be in a certain condition
enable
encourage
enrich
enslave
EN
2
British
abbreviation
-
enrolled nurse
-
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:
While en route to the training area, the pilot reduced the engine power when he learned the fighter element was running about 10 minutes late.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026
Other highlights include an open, corner living and dining room, walls of windows, a chef’s kitchen, and a main bedroom with a formal dressing area and an en suite bathroom with a soaking tub.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026
Smiling profile pictures aside, if they messaged job seekers en masse, they could steal users’ identities or hard-earned cash.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
Fans of the iconic figure, who died last December at the age of 91, have been coming en masse to contemplate the nearly 300 lots on display at the Drouot sale rooms in central Paris.
From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026
Spassky was already en route to his hotel.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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
Stripes was in a new coat, and so was Ponto, for a wonder, and Tummus's button-suit was worn EN PERMANENCE.
From The Book of Snobs by William Makepeace Thackeray
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
Mr. Flint was asked why a man like himself, "after he has amassed millions, goes on increasing his collection instead of retiring and en- joying life."
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
‘Azurn’: modern English has a tendency to use the noun itself as an adjective in cases where older English used an adjective with the suffix -en = made of.
From Milton's Comus by William Bell
I. Those ending in -en; as soften, whiten, strengthen, &c.
From A Handbook of the English Language by R. G. (Robert Gordon) Latham
Sun′-beat, -en, smitten by the rays of the sun.—ns.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various
But the terminations which are used in the most confused manner of all are -en, -yne, and -ing or -yng.
From Lancelot of the Laik A Scottish Metrical Romance by Walter W. (Walter William) Skeat
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
