I. _ən, after some consonants often ə n, esp emphatic or hesitating or after a pause (|)an; see usage note below indefinite article
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English ān one — more at one
: a II — used (1) usually in speech and writing before words beginning with a vowel sound
an oak
an hour
an X ray
(2) usually in speech and often in writing before h -initial words beginning with an unstressed or lightly stressed syllable in which h may or may not be pronounced
an historian
an heroic
(3) sometimes (less often now than formerly) before words whose initial letter is a vowel and whose initial sounds are yü or yu̇ or w in one
an European
an unique
such an one
(4) sometimes in speech and writing and regularly in the Old Testament (AV) before a stressed syllable in h- initial words
an hundred
an heritage
II. _ən, _an preposition
: a III 2 — usually used before words with an initial vowel sound
once an afternoon
earns three dollars an hour
III. conjunction
or an'
Etymology: Middle English an, alteration of and
1. the spelling without “d” is substand but the pronunciation without d is not — see and I substandard : and
he would sit an let on to be learning — Wright Morris
2. (|)an, ən, ə n archaic : if
an thou dalliest, then I am thy foe — Ben Jonson
IV. abbreviation
1. animate
2.
[Latin anno ]
in the year
3.
[Latin annum; annus ]
year
4. anonymous