How do you pronounce beckon?

The recorded pronunciation is /ˈbɛkən/.

Where does beckon come from?

It is traced to Middle English.

beckon

/ˈbɛkən/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.39 in modern English

Syllables: beck-on
IPA: /ˈbɛkən/

Scrabble Score

Letters

Syllables

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer.

verb

To seem attractive and inviting.

noun

A sign made without words; a beck.

noun

A children's game similar to hide and seek in which children who have been "caught" may escape if they see another hider beckon to them.

Example Sentences

"It beckons you to go away with it."
"His distant friends, he beckons near."
"The election come and gone, work beyond political organizing beckoned."
"How the gentle wind / Beckons through the leaves / As autumn colors fall"
"At the first beckon."
"He turn to me, make a beckon with the key in his hand."

Etymology

From Middle English bekenen, beknen, becnen, beknien, from Old English bēacnian, bēcnian, bīecnan (“to signal; beckon”), from Proto-West Germanic *bauknōn, *bauknijan (“to signal”), from *baukn (“signal; beacon”). Cognate with Old Saxon bōknian, Old High German bouhnen, Old Norse bákna. More at beacon.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: bekenen, bēacnian, *bauknōn

Regional Pronunciation

British English: /ˈbɛkən/

Inflected Forms

beckons (present, singular) beckoning (participle, present) beckoned (participle, past) beckoned (past) beckons (plural)

Derived Forms

beckoner unbeckoned

Synonyms

wave

Rhymes With

reckon brecon uto-aztecan decan