pen

pen · noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*bend-“pointed peg, nail, edge”
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*pennō
3. Old English · inherited frompenn“enclosure, fold, pen”
4. Middle English · inherited frompen
5. English todaypen

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).

pen · verb²

1. Old English · inherited from*pennian“to close, lock, bolt”
2. Middle English · inherited frompennen
3. English todaypen

From Middle English pennen, from Old English *pennian (“to close, lock, bolt”, attested in onpennian (“to open”)), derived from penn (see above). Akin to Low German pennen (“to secure a door with a bolt”).

pen · noun, verb³

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*péth₂r̥ ~ pth₂én-“feather, wing”
2. Latin · derived frompenna“feather”
3. Old French · derived frompenne
4. Anglo-Norman · derived frompenne
5. Middle English · inherited frompenne
6. English todaypen

From Middle English penne, from Anglo-Norman penne, from Old French penne, from Latin penna (“feather”), from Proto-Indo-European *péth₂r̥ ~ pth₂én- (“feather, wing”), from *peth₂- (“to rush, fly”, whence petition), root of *petra-, whence Ancient Greek πτερόν (pterón, “wing”, whence pterodactyl), and also of Sanskrit पत्रम् (patram, “wing, feather”), Old Church Slavonic перо (pero, “pen”), Old Norse fjǫðr (“feather”), Old English feþer, feðer (Modern English feather); note the /p/ → /f/ Germanic sound change. Doublet of panne, penna, and pinna. See feather and πέτομαι (pétomai) for more. Not related to pencil.

pen · noun⁴

Origin uncertain. Compare hen.

pen · noun⁵

Clipping of penalty.

pen · noun⁶

Clipping of penetration.

pen · noun⁷

By incorrect analogy with man → men.

Words from the same roots