# glean

> English word · Verb · IPA /ɡliːn/ · frequency rank #40,264

## Definitions
1. To collect (fruit, grain, or other produce) from a field, an orchard, etc., after the main gathering or harvest.
2. To collect fruit, grain, or other produce from (a field, an orchard, etc.), after the main gathering or harvest.
3. To gather (something, now chiefly something intangible such as experience or information) in small amounts over a period of time, often with some difficulty; to scrape together.
4. To take away (someone's) possessions; to strip (someone) bare.
5. Of an animal, especially a bat or a bird: to feed by picking up or plucking (prey, mainly arthropods such as insects) from various places.
6. To collect or gather (things) into one mass.
7. To cut off (straggling soldiers separated from their units) during a conflict; to isolate.
8. To collect fruit, grain, or other produce after the main gathering or harvest.
9. Of an animal, especially a bat or a bird: to feed by picking up or plucking prey, mainly arthropods such as insects, from various places.

## Etymology
The verb is derived from Late Middle English glenen (“to gather (heads of grain left by reapers), glean; to gather (things) together, collect”), from Old French glener, glainer (modern French glaner (“to gather, glean”)), from Late Latin glen(n)are, the present active infinitive of glen(n)ō (“to make a collection”); further etymology uncertain, possibly from Gaulish, from Proto-Celtic *glanos (“clean; clear”, adjective), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰleh₁- (“to glow, shine; to be glowing or shining”).
The noun is derived from Late Middle English glene (“collection of heads of grain gathered by gleaning; head of grain”), from Old French glene, glane (“act of gleaning; legal right to glean”) (modern French glane (“act of gleaning”)), from glener, glainer (verb): see above.
cognates
* Medieval Latin glana, glena (“bundle of ears of grain”)

## Easily confused with
- **glen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glean-vs-glen)
- **glee** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glean-vs-glee)
- **Gwen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glean-vs-gwen)
- **gran** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glean-vs-gran)
- **glyn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glean-vs-glyn)
- **guan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glean-vs-guan)
- **great** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glean-vs-great)
- **green** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glean-vs-green)
- **Glenn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glean-vs-glenn)
- **groan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glean-vs-groan)
- **Golan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glean-vs-golan)
- **Glynn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glean-vs-glynn)
- **glens** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glean-vs-glens)
- **Govan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glean-vs-govan)
- **glebe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glean-vs-glebe)
- **gloat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glean-vs-gloat)
- **gleaned** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glean-vs-gleaned)
- **Gleason** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glean-vs-gleason)
- **gan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gan-vs-glean)
- **glad** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glad-vs-glean)

## Common misspellings (6)
`gelan`, `gglean`, `gleann`, `glena`, `gllean`, `lgean`

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