# fan

> English word · Noun · IPA /fæn/ · frequency rank #1,270

## Definitions
1. A hand-held device consisting of concertinaed material, or slats of material, gathered together at one end, that may be opened out into the shape of a sector of a circle and waved back and forth in order to move air towards oneself and cool oneself.
2. An electrical or mechanical device for moving air, used for cooling people, machinery, etc.
3. The action of fanning; agitation of the air.
4. Anything resembling a hand-held fan in shape, e.g., a peacock’s tail.
5. An instrument for winnowing grain, by moving which the grain is tossed and agitated, and the chaff is separated and blown away.
6. A small vane or sail, used to keep the large sails of a smock mill always in the direction of the wind.
7. A section of a tree having a finite number of branches

## Etymology
Inherited from Middle English fan, inherited from Old English fann (“a winnowing, fan”), derived from Latin vannus (“fan for winnowing grain”), derived from Proto-Indo-European *h₂weh₁- (“to blow”).
Cognates
*Latin ventus (“wind”)
*Dutch wan (“winnowing basket”)
*German Wanne (“winnowing basket”)
*Swedish vanna (“a fan for winnowing”)
*Old English windwian (“to fan, winnow”).
More at winnow.

## Easily confused with
- **fi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fan-vs-fi)
- **FL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fan-vs-fl)
- **FM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fan-vs-fm)
- **Fe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fan-vs-fe)
- **fu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fan-vs-fu)
- **FF** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fan-vs-ff)
- **FB** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fan-vs-fb)
- **fo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fan-vs-fo)
- **FS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fan-vs-fs)
- **FN** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fan-vs-fn)
- **FP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fan-vs-fp)
- **FW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fan-vs-fw)
- **fy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fan-vs-fy)
- **for** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fan-vs-for)
- **few** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fan-vs-few)
- **far** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fan-vs-far)
- **fun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fan-vs-fun)
- **fit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fan-vs-fit)
- **fat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fan-vs-fat)
- **fix** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fan-vs-fix)

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