# an

> English word · Article · IPA /ˈæn/ · frequency rank #30

## Definitions
1. Form of a (all article senses).
2. Form of a (all article senses).
3. Form of a (all article senses).
4. Form of a (all article senses).

## Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *ís?
Proto-Indo-European *h₁óynos
Proto-Germanic *ainaz
Proto-West Germanic *ain
Old English ān
Middle English an
English an
From Middle English an, from Old English ān (“a, an”, literally “one”). More at one.

## Easily confused with
- **as** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/an-vs-as)
- **at** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/an-vs-at)
- **AP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/an-vs-ap)
- **aw** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/an-vs-aw)
- **AR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/an-vs-ar)
- **AU** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/an-vs-au)
- **AZ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/an-vs-az)
- **av** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/an-vs-av)
- **ay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/an-vs-ay)
- **ao** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/an-vs-ao)
- **ax** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/an-vs-ax)
- **and** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/an-vs-and)
- **are** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/an-vs-are)
- **any** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/an-vs-any)
- **ask** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/an-vs-ask)
- **art** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/an-vs-art)
- **ass** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/an-vs-ass)
- **App** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/an-vs-app)
- **arm** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/an-vs-arm)
- **Ann** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/an-vs-ann)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/an