an 1
/euhn/ ; when stressed /an/ , indefinite article.
the form of a before an initial vowel sound ( an arch; an honor ) and sometimes, esp. in British English, before an initial unstressed syllable beginning with a silent or weakly pronounced h : an historian.
[ bef. 950; ME; OE an ONE in a weakened sense ]
Usage . See a 1 .
an 2
/euhn/ ; when stressed /an/ , conj.
1. Pron. Spelling. and.
2. Archaic. if.
Also, an', 'n, 'n' .
[ 1125-75; ME, unstressed phonetic var. of AND ]