ern

E1R1N1
UK/ɜːn/US/ɝn/

verb

To run; flow.

Similar
ernegrey sea eaglegray sea eagleEuropean sea eaglewhite-tailed sea eagleHaliatus albicilla
OriginMiddle English ernen ← Old English irnan →
Less commonScrabble 3
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Meanings

ern1

nounern (plural erns)

plural erns

  1. alternativeAlternative spelling of erne.

ern2

verbern (third-person singular simple present erns, present participle erning, simple past and past participle erned)

present singular third person erns · participle present erning · participle past erned · past erned · alternative earn

  1. UKdialectalTo run; flow.
  2. ScotlandUKdialectalTo (cause to) coagulate; curdle (milk) by adding rennet and applying heat.

ern3

verbern (third-person singular simple present erns, present participle erning, simple past and past participle erned)

present singular third person erns · participle present erning · participle past erned · past erned

  1. intransitiveobsoleteTo stir with strong emotion; grieve; mourn.
  2. ScotlandUKdialectalTo pain; torture.
  3. ScotlandUKdialectal(of the eyes) To cause to water; smart.

Ern4

proper noun
  1. A diminutive of the male given name Ernest.

    'That's a good one, that is!' said Ern.

    1948, Enid Blyton, The Mystery of the Hidden House

Synonyms & antonyms

nounbulky greyish-brown eagle with a short wedge-shaped white tail; of Europe and Greenland

Similar
ernegrey sea eaglegray sea eagleEuropean sea eaglewhite-tailed sea eagleHaliatus albicilla
Broader
sea eagle
Also see
ernewhite-tailed sea eagle

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

ern · noun

Alteration of erne.

Full word history & related roots →

ern · verb

  1. Old Englishirnan
  2. Middle Englishernen
  3. Englishern

From Middle English ernen, from Old English irnan, iernan (“to run, move quickly”), metathetic variant of rinnan (“to run”). More at run.

More words from Middle English, Old English

Full word history & related roots →

ern · verb

  1. Old Englishyrman
  2. Middle Englishermen
  3. Englishern

Of obscure origin. Perhaps an alteration of erme, from Middle English ermen, from Old English yrman, ierman. Compare also Old Scots urn, uren. More at erme.

More words from Middle English, Old English

Full word history & related roots →

Ern · proper noun

Shortening.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with ern

returnlearnconcernearnburnsternkernfernurnBernadjourndiscernchurnternnocturneyearnAuvergneupturnpernderngernhernasternspurn
All rhymes →

Sounds the same

earnerneurnearnerneurnearnerneurn

Anagrams

renner
Cite this entry
APA

ern. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ern

MLA

“ern.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ern. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ern,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ern.

Source: ern on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.