Definition of PEN

pen

Meanings

Plural: pens

Noun

  • a writing implement with a point from which ink flows
  • an enclosure for confining livestock
  • a portable enclosure in which babies may be left to play
  • a correctional institution for those convicted of major crimes
  • female swan
  • An enclosure (enclosed area) used to contain domesticated animals, especially sheep or cattle.
  • A penitentiary, i.e. a state or federal prison for convicted felons.
  • The bullpen.
  • A tool, originally made from a feather but now usually a small tubular instrument, containing ink used to write or make marks.
  • A writer, or their style.
  • Marks of ink left by a pen.
  • A light pen.
  • The internal cartilage skeleton of a squid, shaped like a pen.
  • A feather, especially one of the flight feathers of a bird, angel etc.
  • A wing.
  • A syringe-like device for injecting a dose of medication such as insulin or epinephrine. (See Injector pen.)
  • Ellipsis of vapor pen (“electronic cigarette”).
  • A female swan.
  • Penalty.
  • Penetration.
  • plural of pan

Verb

  • produce a literary work
  • To enclose in a pen.
  • To write (an article, a book, etc.).

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English pen, penne (“enclosure for animals”), from Old English penn (“enclosure, fold, pen”), from Proto-Germanic *pennō, *pannijō (“pin, bolt, nail, tack”), from Proto-Indo-European *bend- (“pointed peg, nail, edge”). Related to pin.
Sense “prison” originally figurative extension to “enclosure for persons” (1845), later influenced by penitentiary (“prison”), being analyzed as an abbreviation (1884).

Scrabble Score: 5

pen is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
pen is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
pen is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 7

pen is a valid Words With Friends word