Dan

1 of 3

noun (1)

: a son of Jacob and the traditional eponymous ancestor of one of the tribes of Israel

Dan

2 of 3

noun (2)

archaic
: master, sir

Dan

3 of 3

abbreviation

1
Daniel
2
Danish

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Hebrew Dān

Noun (2)

Middle English, title of members of religious orders, from Anglo-French, from Latin dominus master

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Dan was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near Dan

Cite this Entry

“Dan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Dan. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

Geographical Definition

Dan

geographical name

1
river 180 miles (290 kilometers) long in southern Virginia and northern North Carolina flowing east into the Roanoke River
2
village at the northern extremity of ancient Palestine

More from Merriam-Webster on Dan

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!