# batten

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈbæt(ə)n/ · frequency rank #39,697

## Definitions
1. To cause (an animal, etc.) to become fat or thrive through plenteous feeding; to fatten.
2. To enrich or fertilize (land, soil, etc.).
3. To become better; to improve in condition; especially of animals, by feeding; to fatten up.
4. Of land, soil, etc.: to become fertile; also, of plants: to grow lush.
5. Followed by on: to eat greedily; to glut.
6. Followed by on: to prosper or thrive, especially at the expense of others.
7. To gloat at; to revel in.
8. To gratify a morbid appetite or craving.

## Etymology
The verb is derived from Middle English *battenen, *batnen, of North Germanic origin, probably from Old Norse batna (“to grow better, improve, recover”), from Proto-Germanic *batnaną (“to become better, improve”) (compare Old Norse bati (“advantage, improvement”), from Proto-Germanic *batô (“improvement, recovery”)), from *bataz (“good”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰed- (“good”). Compare battle (“(adjective) improving; fattening, nutritious; fertile, fruitful; (verb) to feed or nourish; to render (land, etc.) fertile or fruitful”) (obsolete).
The adjective is probably derived from the verb.
Cognates
* Dutch baten (“to avail, benefit, profit”)
* Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌱𐌰𐍄𐌽𐌰𐌽 (gabatnan, “to benefit, profit”)
* Icelandic batna (“to improve, recover”)
* Old English batian (“to get better, recover”)

## Easily confused with
- **Bette** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/batten-vs-bette)
- **butte** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/batten-vs-butte)
- **batty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/batten-vs-batty)
- **better** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/batten-vs-better)
- **battle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/batten-vs-battle)
- **button** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/batten-vs-button)
- **butter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/batten-vs-butter)
- **beaten** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/batten-vs-beaten)
- **bitter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/batten-vs-bitter)
- **batter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/batten-vs-batter)
- **Baxter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/batten-vs-baxter)
- **bitten** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/batten-vs-bitten)
- **butted** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/batten-vs-butted)
- **battery** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/batten-vs-battery)
- **battles** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/batten-vs-battles)
- **batting** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/batten-vs-batting)
- **battled** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/batten-vs-battled)
- **blatter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/batten-vs-blatter)
- **bate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bate-vs-batten)
- **batt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/batt-vs-batten)

## Common misspellings (7)
`abtten`, `baten`, `batetn`, `battenn`, `battne`, `bbatten`, `btaten`

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