Pen Definition

Origin of Pen

• Anglo-Norman penne, from Old French penne, from Latin penna (“feather"), from Proto-Indo-European *petna-, from *pet- (“to rush, fly") (from which petition). Proto-Indo-European base also root of *petra-, from which πτερόν (pteron, “wing") (whence pterodactyl), Sanskrit पत्रम् (“wing, feather"), Old Church Slavonic перо (pero, “pen"), Old Norse fjöðr, Old English feðer (Modern English feather); note the /p/ → /f/ Germanic sound change.

  From Wiktionary

• From Middle English penne (“enclosure for animals"), from Old English penn (“enclosure, fold, pen") (in compounds), from Proto-Germanic *pennō, *pannijō (“pin, bolt, nail, tack"), from Proto-Indo-European *bend- (“pointed peg, nail, edge"). Akin to Old English pennian (“to close, lock, bolt") (in compounds onpennian (“to open")), Low German pennen (“to secure a door with a bolt"), Old English pinn (“peg, bolt"). More at pin.

  From Wiktionary

• Sense “prison" originally figurative extension to enclosure for persons (1845), later influenced by penitentiary (“prison"), being analyzed as an abbreviation (1884).

  From Wiktionary

• Middle English penne from Old French from Late Latin penna from Latin feather pet- in Indo-European roots

  From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

• See feather and πέτομαι (petomai) for more.

  From Wiktionary

• Middle English from Old English penn

  From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

• From Latin paene (“nearly, almost”)

  From Wiktionary

• Shortned form of penalty

  From Wiktionary

• Short for penitentiary

  From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

• Origin unknown

  From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

• Origin uncertain.

  From Wiktionary