ben

Symbol

ben

1. (international standards) ISO 639-2 & ISO 639-3 language code for Bengali.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɛn/
• (pin–pen merger) IPA^(key): /bɪn/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

• Homophones: Ben; been (some accents); bin (pin–pen merger)
• Rhymes: -ɛn, -ɪn

Etymology 1

From Middle English ben, bene, from Old English bēn (“prayer, request, favor, compulsory service”), from Proto-Germanic *bōniz (“supplication”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- (“to say”). Related to ban. More at boon.

Etymology 2

From Middle English ben, bene, variation of bin, binne (“within”), from Old English binnan (“within, in, inside of, into”), equivalent to be- +‎ in.

Etymology 3

From Middle English been, from Old French and Medieval Latin, probably from a North African pronunciation of Arabic بَان (bān, “ben tree”).

Etymology 4

From Arabic بِن (bin) and Hebrew בן (ben, “son”).

Etymology 5

Borrowed from Scots ben, benn, from Scottish Gaelic beinn.

Etymology 6

c. 16th century. Probably from Latin bene or Italian bene.

Etymology 7

Shortening.

Etymology 8

See also

• ben-joltram
• ben-shie

Anagrams

• EbN, NEB, NbE, Neb., neb

Adjective

ben

1. big

Noun

ben

1. a big thing

References

• Pavol Štekauer, Salvador Valera, Lívia Kőrtvélyessy, Word-Formation in the World's Languages: A Typological Survey (2012)

Noun

ben

1. bean

References

• Silvia Kouwenberg, Berbice Dutch Glossed Texts (2013)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic, Valencia) [ˈben]
• Rhymes: -en

Adverb

ben

1. Alternative form of bé

   Porteu un vestit ben bonic. ― Wear a very pretty dress.

   Demà al matí ben d'hora m'aixeco i viatjo a Milan. ― Tomorrow morning quite early I'll get up and travel to Milan.

Alternative forms

• bénne (Sette Comuni)

Etymology

From Middle High German wenne, wanne, from Old High German hwenne, hwanne, from Proto-West Germanic *hwannā, from *hwan, from Proto-Germanic *hwan (“when”). Cognate with German wenn, wann, English when. Doublet of benn (adverb), from the same Middle High German source.

Conjunction

ben

1. (Luserna) when

   Khåntamar khön ben 'z tüata offe di pinakotèk? ― Can you tell me when the art gallery opens?

References

• “ben” in Cimbrian, Ladin, Mòcheno: Getting to know 3 peoples. 2015. Servizio minoranze linguistiche locali della Provincia autonoma di Trento, Trento, Italy.

Etymology 1

From Proto-Brythonic *bon, from Proto-Celtic *bonus (see Breton Ben-, Welsh bôn). Found as pen in the placename Pentewan.

Etymology 2

Same source as benyn. Cognate with English queen, among others.

Mutation

Etymology

From bè (“well”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɛn/

Noun

ben m

1. deceased

Adverb

ben

1. Alternative form of bè

References

• https://infcor.adecec.net/

Etymology

From Old Norse bein (“bone, leg”), from Proto-Germanic *bainą, cognate with English bone, German Bein.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /beːˀn/, [ˈb̥eˀn]

Noun

ben n (singular definite benet, plural indefinite ben)

1. leg (a limb of a human or an animal used for walking; also, by analogy, the legs of a desk or a chair)

   Synonym: pusselanke (childish; joking)

2. bone (any part of the skeleton)
3. sinecure (a position that requires little to no work but still gives an ample payment; a cushy job.)

References

• “ben” in Den Danske Ordbog

Etymology

From Sauraseni Prakrit 𑀩𑀳𑀺𑀡𑀻 (bahiṇī), from Sanskrit भगिनी (bhaginī). Cognate with Hindi बहन (bahan).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ben̪/, /bɛn̪/

Noun

ben f

1. sister

References

• Matras, Yaron (2012) A Grammar of Domari (Mouton Grammar Library)‎, Walter de Gruyter, →ISBN, page 65

Etymology

From Middle Dutch bim, from Proto-Germanic *beuną.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛn
• IPA^(key): /bɛn/

Verb

ben

1. inflection of zijn:
   1. first-person singular present indicative
   2. (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative
   3. imperative

References

• Taaladvies.net on ‘wees’ or ‘ben’

Etymology

From Old Norse ben, from Proto-Germanic *banjō.

Noun

ben n (genitive singular bens, plural ben)

1. wound

Noun

ben f (genitive singular benjar, plural benjar)

1. wound

Etymology 1

Alternative form of bien

Etymology 2

Clipping of bénard.

Further reading

• “ben”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Etymology

From Latin bene.

Adverb

ben

1. well
2. properly, nicely

Noun

ben

1. good

Alternative forms

• bem (reintegrationist)

Etymology

From Old Galician-Portuguese ben, from Latin bene.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɛŋ/ [ˈbɛŋ]
• Rhymes: -ɛŋ
• Hyphenation: ben

Noun

ben m (plural bens)

1. benefit; welfare

   Synonym: beneficio

2. (in the plural) goods
3. good (the forces that are the enemy of evil)

   Antonym: mal

Adverb

ben

1. well

   Antonym: mal

   Ben feito! ― Well done!

2. very; a lot; enough

   Eche un rapaz ben espilido! ― He's a very smart young man!

   • 1473, A. López Ferreiro, editor, Galicia Histórica. Colección diplomática, Santiago: Tipografía Galaica, page 29:

     cando se ganou dos mouros a grande batalla da figeira en donde tamen perdin e me mataron o cabalo e eu sahin ben librado enpero ben ferido de hua saetada enno braço dereito que non a vin curada fasta pasados ben tres meses

     when the great Battle of the Figtree was won to the Moors, where I also lost —and they killed— my horse and I got out safe but badly injured of an arrow shot in the right arm, wound that I saw not cured until more than three months later

3. (followed by de or a contraction of de) a lot (of)

   Bótalle ben de zucre, sen medo! ― Add a lot of sugar, don't be shy!

4. plus, or more, upwards
   • c. 1295, R. Lorenzo, editor, La traducción gallega de la Crónica General y de la Crónica de Castilla, Ourense: I.E.O.P.F, page 174:

     Et durou a guerra dessa uez ontre elles bem dous ãnos, fazendosse todauia muyto mal os hũus aos outros, de guisa que, ante que sse aquella contenda fijnse, morrerõ y muytos

     And the war between them lasted that time for two years plus, making in every way a lot of harm the ones to the others, in wise that, before that conflict had ended, many died there

References

• “ben”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2025
• Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, Ana Isabel Boullón Agrelo (2006–2022) “ben”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “ben”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “ben”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian bene, French bien, Spanish bien and Portuguese bem.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ben/

Adverb

ben (comparative melio, superlative le melio)

1. well

Etymology

From Latin bene.

Adverb

ben

1. well

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɛn/
• Hyphenation: bèn

Adverb

ben (apocopated)

1. Apocopic form of bene

   ben fatto ― well done

Romanization

ben

1. Rōmaji transcription of べん

Etymology

From Portuguese vir.

Verb

ben

1. to come

Etymology

From Latin bene.

Adverb

ben (comparative miec)

1. well
2. properly

Noun

ben m (plural bens)

1. (especially in the plural) goods, property

Etymology

Akin to Italian bene, from Latin.

Adverb

ben

1. well

Romanization

ben

1. Nonstandard spelling of bēn.
2. Nonstandard spelling of běn.
3. Nonstandard spelling of bèn.

Etymology

From Old Irish ben, from Proto-Celtic *benā, from Proto-Indo-European *gʷḗn.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ben/, [bɛᵈn]

Noun

ben f (genitive singular mreih, plural mraane)

1. woman

Mutation

References

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “1 ben”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

Verb

ben

1. Alternative form of been

References

• “bēn” listed in the Middle English Dictionary [2001]

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɛn

Noun

ben ?

1. string, rope

Etymology

From Danish ben, from Old Norse bein, from Proto-Germanic *bainą.

Noun

ben n (definite singular benet, indefinite plural ben, definite plural bena or benene)

1. a leg
2. a bone

References

• “ben” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Etymology

From Old Occitan ben, from Latin bene.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Adverb

ben

1. well

Noun

ben m (plural bens)

1. good, possession

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *bainą.

Noun

bēn n

1. leg
2. bone

Etymology 1

From Proto-Germanic *bōniz. Cognate with Old Norse bón.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Germanic *banjō. Cognate with Old Norse ben.

Adverb

ben

1. (Anglo-Norman) Alternative form of bien

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *bain, from Proto-Germanic *bainą. Cognates include Old English bān, Old Saxon bēn and Old Dutch bēn.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbeːn/, [ˈbɛːn]

Noun

bēn n

1. bone
2. leg

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bʲen/

Etymology 1

From Proto-Celtic *benā, from Proto-Indo-European *gʷḗn.

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Mutation

Further reading

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “1 ben”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Thurneysen, Rudolf (1940) D. A. Binchy and Osborn Bergin, transl., A Grammar of Old Irish, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, →ISBN, § 291, page 184; reprinted 2017

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *banjō.

Noun

ben f (genitive benjar, plural benjar)

1. mortal wound
2. small bleeding wound

ben n

1. wound

Further reading

• Zoëga, Geir T. (1910) “ben”, in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press; also available at the Internet Archive

Etymology

From Latin bene.

Adjective

ben

1. well

References

• Walther von Wartburg (1928–2002) “bene”, in Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, volumes 1: A–B, page 322

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *bain.

Noun

bēn n

1. bone

Alternative forms

• ᛒᚽᚿ (Runic)

Etymology

From Old Norse bein, from Proto-Germanic *bainą.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /beːn/

Noun

bēn n

1. bone
2. leg

Etymology 1

From Old English binnan.

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Scottish Gaelic beinn.

References

• “ben, adv.”, in The Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries, 2004–present, →OCLC, retrieved 12 June 2024, reproduced from William A[lexander] Craigie, A[dam] J[ack] Aitken [et al.], editors, A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue: […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, 1931–2002, →OCLC.
• “ben, adv., prep., adj., n.1.”, in The Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries, 2004–present, →OCLC, retrieved 12 June 2024, reproduced from W[illiam] Grant and D[avid] D. Murison, editors, The Scottish National Dictionary, Edinburgh: Scottish National Dictionary Association, 1931–1976, →OCLC.
• “ben, n.3.”, in The Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries, 2004–present, →OCLC, retrieved 12 June 2024, reproduced from W[illiam] Grant and D[avid] D. Murison, editors, The Scottish National Dictionary, Edinburgh: Scottish National Dictionary Association, 1931–1976, →OCLC.

Etymology

Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish بك (beñ).

Noun

ben m (Cyrillic spelling бен)

1. (regional) birthmark, mole, naevus

   Synonym: madež

Further reading

• “ben”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2025
• “ben”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2025
• “ben”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2025

Etymology

From English been.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbeŋ/, /ˈben/, [ˈbɪ̞ŋ], [ˈbe̝ŋ]

Particle

ben

1. Verbal marker for the past tense.

Etymology

From Old Swedish bēn, from Old Norse bein, from Proto-Germanic *bainą.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

• IPA^(key): /ˈbeːn/

Noun

ben n

1. (anatomy) leg; a body part
2. leg; part of trousers which covers the legs
3. the part of a piece furniture on which it stands
4. (anatomy) bone; any of the components of an endoskeleton
5. (anatomy) bone; the material of the endoskeleton

References

• ben in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• ben in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• ben in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)
• Svensk MeSH

Pronunciation

• (Thạch An – Tràng Định) IPA^(key): [ɓɛn˧˥]
• (Trùng Khánh) IPA^(key): [ɓɛn˦]

Etymology 1

Etymology 2

Etymology 3

References

• Lương Bèn (2011) Từ điển Tày-Việt [Tay-Vietnamese dictionary]‎ (in Vietnamese), Thái Nguyên: Nhà Xuất bản Đại học Thái Nguyên
• Lục Văn Pảo, Hoàng Tuấn Nam (2003) Hoàng Triều Ân, editor, Từ điển chữ Nôm Tày [A Dictionary of (chữ) Nôm Tày]‎ (in Vietnamese), Hanoi: Nhà xuất bản Khoa học Xã hội
• Léopold Michel Cadière (1910) Dictionnaire Tày-Annamite-Français [Tày-Vietnamese-French Dictionary]‎ (in French), Hanoi: Impressions d'Extrême-Orient