pen

UK: /ˈpɛn/ US: /pɛn/ ,(pen)

Inflections of 'pen' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

pens

v 3rd person singular

penning

v pres p

penned

v past

penned

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

pen¹ /pɛn/   n., v., penned, pen•ning. 
n. [countable]

1. any of various instruments for writing or drawing with ink.
2. the pen as a symbol of writing;
   authorship:
   The pen is mightier than the sword.

v. [~ + object]

3. to write or draw with or as if with a pen:
   to pen an essay.

pen² /pɛn/   n., v., penned, pen•ning. 
n. [countable]

1. Animal Husbandry a small fenced-in area for domestic animals.
2. a playpen.
3. Sport bullpen (defs. 1, 2).

v. [~ + object]

4. Animal Husbandry to confine in or as if in a pen:
   The animals were penned there for weeks.

pen³ /pɛn/   n. 

1. Slang Terms penitentiary.

-pen-, root. 

1. -pen- comes from Latin and Greek, where it has the meanings "penalty;
   wrong,'' and hence "repent.'' These meanings are found in such words as: impenitent, penal, penalize, penitence, penology, repent, subpoena.

Pen. or pen., an abbreviation of:

1. peninsula.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pen¹  (pen), n., v., penned, pen•ning. 
n. 

1. any of various instruments for writing or drawing with ink or a similar substance.
2. a detachable metal penpoint, filled by dipping or with a quill;
   nib.
3. such a penpoint with its penholder.
4. fountain pen.
5. ball-point pen.
6. the pen as the instrument of writing or authorship:
   The pen is mightier than the sword.
7. a person's style or quality of writing:
   He writes with a witty, incisive pen.
8. a writer:
   I leave this story to abler pens.
9. the profession of writing:
   a master of the pen.
10. [Ornith.]
    • Birds a quill.
    • Birds a pinfeather.
11. something resembling or suggesting a feather or quill.
12. Zoology an internal, corneous or chitinous, feather-shaped structure in certain cephalopods, as the squid.

v.t. 

13. to write with or as with a pen;
    put down in writing:
    to pen an essay.
14. to draw with or as with a pen:
    to pen a sketch.

• Late Latin penna, Latin: feather
• Old French penne pen, feather
• Middle English penne 1250–1300

pen′like′, adj. 
pen′ner, n. 

pen²  (pen), n., v., penned or pent, pen•ning. 
n. 

1. Animal Husbandry a small enclosure for domestic animals.
2. Animal Husbandry animals so enclosed:
   We have a pen of twenty sheep.
3. Animal Husbandry an enclosure used for confinement or safekeeping:
   We have built several pens to hold our harvest of corn.
4. playpen.
5. See bull pen. 
6. a dock having a protective concrete structure overhead, used to service and repair submarines.

v.t. 

7. Animal Husbandry to confine in or as in a pen.

• bef. 1000; (noun, nominal) Middle English penne, Old English penn (in compounds); perh. akin to pin; (verb, verbal) Middle English pennen, derivative of the noun, nominal

pen³  (pen), n. [Slang.]

1. Slang Terms penitentiary (def. 1).

• 1880–85; American; shortened form

pen⁴  (pen), n. 

1. Birds a female swan.

• origin, originally uncertain 1540–50

pen-, 

1. var. of pene- before a vowel:
   penannular.

Pen., 

1. peninsula.

Also, pen. 
P.E.N., 

1. International Association of Poets, Playwrights, Editors, Essayists, and Novelists.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

pen / pɛn/ noun

1. an implement for writing or drawing using ink, formerly consisting of a sharpened and split quill, and now of a metal nib attached to a holder
   See also ballpoint, fountain pen
2. the writing end of such an implement; nib
3. style of writing
4. the pen ⇒ writing as an occupation

verb (pens, penning, penned)

1. (transitive) to write or compose

Etymology: Old English pinne, from Late Latin penna (quill) pen, from Latin: feather

pen / pɛn/ noun

1. an enclosure in which domestic animals are kept
2. any place of confinement
3. a dock for servicing submarines, esp one having a bombproof roof

verb (pens, penning, penned, pent)

1. (transitive) to enclose or keep in a pen

Etymology: Old English penn, perhaps related to pin

pen / pɛn/ noun

1. 
   short for penitentiary1

pen / pɛn/ noun

1. a female swan

Etymology: 16th Century: of unknown origin

pen / pɛn/ noun

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pene-, 

1. a combining form meaning "almost,'' used in the formation of compound words:
   penecontemporaneous.

Also,[esp. before a vowel,] pen-. 

• Latin paene-, combining form of paene

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

PEN / pɛn/ acronym:noun

1. International Association of Poets, Playwrights, Editors, Essayists, and Novelists

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Pen. abbreviation

1. Peninsula