# con

> English word · Verb · IPA /kɒn/ · frequency rank #4,434

## Definitions
1. To study or examine carefully, especially in order to gain knowledge of; to learn, or learn by heart.
2. To know; understand; acknowledge.

## Etymology
Etymology tree
Middle English connen
English con
Inherited from Middle English connen, inherited from Old English cunnan (“to know, know how”), inherited from Proto-West Germanic *kunnan (“recognize, know how”), inherited from Proto-Germanic *kunnaną (“to know, know how”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- (“to know”) Doublet of can.

## Easily confused with
- **CT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/con-vs-ct)
- **CR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/con-vs-cr)
- **cs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/con-vs-cs)
- **cp** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/con-vs-cp)
- **CV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/con-vs-cv)
- **CU** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/con-vs-cu)
- **CW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/con-vs-cw)
- **CX** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/con-vs-cx)
- **cz** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/con-vs-cz)
- **CQ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/con-vs-cq)
- **cut** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/con-vs-cut)
- **cup** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/con-vs-cup)
- **cry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/con-vs-cry)
- **cop** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/con-vs-cop)
- **cow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/con-vs-cow)
- **cos** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/con-vs-cos)
- **cum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/con-vs-cum)
- **cox** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/con-vs-cox)
- **cuz** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/con-vs-cuz)
- **cue** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/con-vs-cue)

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