can
/ˈkæn/
Word Rarity
Common
Frequency: 6.46 in modern English
5
Scrabble Score
3
Letters
1
Syllables
3
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To know how to.
verb
To be able to.
verb
To have the potential to; to be possible for (someone or something) to.
verb
To be (followed by a word like able, possible, allowed). third-person singular simple present indicative of can
Indian usage
verb
To be able to or know how to (do something); an accompanying verb is not required if it is already inferable from context.
Intransitive verb
Example Sentences
- "She can speak English, French, and German."
- "I can play football."
- "prouyng which eny clerk can or woel or mai make bi eny maner euydence of resoun or of Scripture, and namelich of resoun into the contrarie."
- "If thou canst awake by four o' the clock, / I prithee call me. Sleep hath seized me wholly."
- "Can you remember your fifth birthday?"
- "Animals can experience emotions."
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- Proto-Indo-European *-né- Proto-Indo-European *ǵn̥néh₃ti Proto-Germanic *kunnaną Proto-West Germanic *kunnan Old English cunnan Middle English can English can From Middle English can, first and third person singular of connen, cunnen (“to be able, know how”), from Old English can(n), first and third person singular of cunnan (“to know how”), from Proto-West Germanic *kunnan, from Proto-Germanic *kunnaną, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- (whence also know). Doublet of con. See also: canny, cunning.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /kæn/
- British English: /kæn/