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

a suffix formerly used to form transitive and intransitive verbs from adjectives (fasten; harden; sweeten ), or from nouns (heighten; lengthen; strengthen ).

en-

a prefix meaning “within, in,” occurring in loanwords from Greek.
energy; enthusiasm.

-en

⁴

a suffix used to form adjectives of source or material from nouns.
ashen; golden; oaken.

-en

⁵

a suffix used to mark the past participle in many strong and some weak verbs.
taken; proven.

-en

⁶

a suffix used in forming the plural of some nouns.
brethren; children; oxen.

-en

⁷

a diminutive suffix.
kitten; maiden.

⁸

[en]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

the letter N, n.
Also called nut. Printing., half of the width of an em.

adjective

Printing., having the area of an en quad or the length of an en.
en quad; en dash.

⁹

abbreviation

Biology, Ecology.

endangered.

en-

prefix

(from nouns)
1. put in or on
  entomb
  enthrone
2. go on or into
  enplane
3. surround or cover with
  enmesh
4. furnish with
  empower
(from adjectives and nouns) cause to be in a certain condition
enable
encourage
enrich
enslave

abbreviation

enrolled nurse
English Nature

-en

suffix

cause to be; become; cause to have
blacken
heighten

-en

⁴

suffix

of; made of; resembling
ashen
earthen
wooden

en-

⁵

prefix

in; into; inside
endemic

⁶

/ ɛn /

noun

Also called: nut. printing a unit of measurement, half the width of an em See also ennage

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Word History and Origins

Origin of en-¹

Middle English < Old French < Latin in- in- ²

Origin of en-²

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 en-³

From Greek (often through Latin ); cognate with in- ¹, in- ²

Origin of en-⁴

Middle English, Old English; cognate with Old High German -īn, Gothic -eins, Latin -īnus; -ine ¹

Origin of en-⁵

Middle English, Old English; cognate with German -en, Old Norse -inn

Origin of en-⁶

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 en-⁷

Middle English, Old English, from neuter of -en ²

Origin of en-⁸

First recorded in 1785–95

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Word History and Origins

Origin of en-¹

via Old French from Latin in- _in- ²

Origin of en-²

Old English -n-, as in fæst-n-ian to fasten, of common Germanic origin; compare Icelandic fastna

Origin of en-³

Old English -en; related to Gothic -eins, Latin -īnus _-ine ¹

Origin of en-⁴

from Greek (often via Latin); compare _in- ¹ , _in- ²

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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.

A run of 11 consecutive breaks of serve swung the momentum like a pendulum but it was Gauff who finally held serve in game seven of the second set en route to an 82-minute victory.