# dern

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈdɜː(ɹ)n/ · frequency rank #52,265

## Definitions
1. A secret; secrecy.
2. A secret place; hiding.
3. An obscure language.
4. Darkness; obscurity.

## Etymology
From Middle English dern, derne, from Old English dyrne, dierne (“secret”), from Proto-West Germanic *darnī (“hidden, secret”).

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