Dan

UK: /'dæn/ US: 'dan': (dän, dan); 'Dan': (dan)

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Dan / dæn/ noun

1. the fourth son of Jacob (Genesis 30:1–6)
2. the tribe descended from him
3. a city in the northern territory of Canaan

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

dan  (dän, dan), n. [Martial Arts.]

1. Sport a degree of expertise in karate, judo, tae kwon do, etc., usually signified by the wearing of a cloth belt of a particular color;
   level:
   a sixth-degree dan.

• Middle Chinese, equivalent. to Chinese duàn step, grade
• Japanese
• 1940–45

Dan  (dan), n. 

1. Bible a son of Jacob and Bilhah. Gen. 30:6.
2. Bible one of the 12 tribes of Israel, traditionally descended from him.
3. Bible, Place Names the northernmost city of ancient Palestine.
4. Bible, Idioms from Dan to Beersheba, from one outermost extreme or limit to the other. Judges 20:1.
5. a male given name, form of Daniel. 

Dan  (dan), n. [Archaic.]

1. a title of honor equivalent to master or sir: Dan Chaucer.

• Medieval Latin domnus, contraction of Latin dominus lord, master
• Old French danz
• Middle English 1275–1325

Dan., 

1. Bible Daniel (def. 1).
2. Language Varieties Also, Dan   Danish.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

dan / dæn/ noun

1. any one of the 10 black-belt grades of proficiency
2. a competitor entitled to dan grading

Compare kyuEtymology: Japanese

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Dan. abbreviation

1. Daniel
2. Danish