pen Meaning & Definition
What Does Pen Mean?
Pen is a symbol that means Former ISO 639-3 language code for Penesak. As a noun, it means An enclosure (enclosed area) used to contain domesticated animals, especially sheep or cattle. As a verb, it means To enclose in a pen.
Pen at a Glance
| Part of speech | symbol, noun, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /pɛn/ |
| Synonyms | compose, indite and penitentiary |
| Plural | pens |
| Verb forms | pens, penning, penned |
Pen Definition (Symbol)
- Former ISO 639-3 language code for Penesak.
Pen as a Noun
- An enclosure (enclosed area) used to contain domesticated animals, especially sheep or cattle.
There are two steers in the third pen.
- A penitentiary, i.e. a state or federal prison for convicted felons.
They caught him with a stolen horse, and he wound up in the pen again.
- The bullpen.
Two righties are up in the pen.
Pen as a Verb
- To enclose in a pen.
Noun
- A tool, originally made from a feather but now usually a small tubular instrument, containing ink used to write or make marks.
He took notes with a pen.
- A writer, or their style.
He has a sharp pen.
- Marks of ink left by a pen.
He's unhappy because he got pen on his new shirt.
- A light pen.
- The internal cartilage skeleton of a squid, shaped like a pen.
- A feather, especially one of the flight feathers of a bird, angel etc.
- A wing.
- A syringe-like device for injecting a dose of medication such as insulin or epinephrine.
- Ellipsis of vapor pen (“electronic cigarette”).
a dab pen; a wax pen
Verb
- To write (an article, a book, etc.).
- To write or draw on (a surface) with a pen.
Noun
- A female swan.
Noun
- Penalty.
England won 3–1 on pens.
Noun
- Penetration.
Noun
- plural of pan
Noun
- A prison cell.
They caught him with a stolen horse, and he wound up in the pen again.
Noun
- A writer, or his style.
He has a sharp pen.
Synonyms of Pen
Pen synonyms and antonyms →Pen in a Sentence
There are two steers in the third pen.
They caught him with a stolen horse, and he wound up in the pen again.
Two righties are up in the pen.
He took notes with a pen.
another novel from the pen of everybody's fave thriller writer.
Please use a pen, not a pencil, when filling out this form. Use black or blue ink only.
He has a sharp pen.
He's unhappy because he got pen on his new shirt.
a dab pen; a wax pen
England won 3–1 on pens.
Word Forms & Grammar
pen (plural pens)
pen (third-person singular simple present pens, present participle penning, simple past and past participle penned or pent)
pen (third-person singular simple present pens, present participle penning, simple past and past participle penned)
pen (uncountable)
Words That Rhyme With Pen
Origin of Pen
Origin 1: From Middle English pen, penne (“enclosure for animals”), from Old English penn (“enclosure, fold, pen”), from Proto-Germanic *pennō, *pannijō (“pin, bolt, nail, tack”), from Proto-Indo-European *bend- (“pointed peg, nail, edge”). Related to pin.
Origin 2: Sense “prison” originally figurative extension to “enclosure for persons” (1845), later influenced by penitentiary (“prison”), being analyzed as an abbreviation (1884).[1]
Origin 3: From Middle English pennen, from Old English *pennian (“to close, lock, bolt”, attested in onpennian (“to open”)), derived from penn (see above). Akin to Low German pennen (“to secure a door with a bolt”).
Origin 4: From Middle English penne, from Anglo-Norman penne, from Old French penne, from Latin penna (“feather”), from Proto-Indo-European *péth₂r̥ ~ pth₂én- (“feather, wing”), from *peth₂- (“to rush, fly”, whence petition), root of *petra-, whence Ancient Greek πτερόν (pterón, “wing”, whence pterodactyl), and also of Sanskrit पत्रम् (patram, “wing, feather”), Old Church Slavonic перо (pero, “pen”), Old Norse fjǫðr (“feather”), Old English feþer, feðer (Modern English feather);[1] note the /p/ → /f/ Germanic sound change.
Pen: Your Questions Answered
Is pen a symbol or a noun?
Pen is mainly used as a symbol, but it can also be used as a noun and a verb.
What is another word for pen?
Words with a similar meaning to pen include compose, indite and penitentiary. See the full list of pen synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of pen?
The plural of pen is pens.
What is the past tense of pen?
The past tense of pen is penned. The present participle is penning.