Dictionary

san en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• [ˈseːn] æ-raising
• [ˈseə̯n] ~ [ˈsɛə̯n] General American, Canada, æ-raising
• /ˈsæn/ (Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈsæːn/ (Australia)
• /ˈsan/ (British, Northern-England, Scotland, Southern, Standard, Wales)
• /ˈsɛn/ (New-Zealand)

Etymology

From Ancient Greek σάν (sán), from a Semitic language.

Meanings

1. An Ancient Greek letter representing /s/ (uppercase Ϻ, lowercase ϻ), originally used in some dialects instead of sigma.

Forms

Deriveds

tsan

Relateds

sigma

Translations (6)

fr san (letter of the Archaic Greek alphabet) · ca san (letter of the Archaic Greek alphabet) · es san (letter of the Archaic Greek alphabet) · it san (letter of the Archaic Greek alphabet) · scn san (letter of the Archaic Greek alphabet) · eo sano (letter of the Archaic Greek alphabet)

san en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• [ˈseːn] æ-raising
• [ˈseə̯n] ~ [ˈsɛə̯n] General American, Canada, æ-raising
• /ˈsæn/ (Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈsæːn/ (Australia)
• /ˈsan/ (British, Northern-England, Scotland, Southern, Standard, Wales)
• /ˈsɛn/ (New-Zealand)

Etymology

Shortening of sanatorium.

Meanings

1. (dated, informal) A sanatorium.
   • ‘I was in the san for ten months before the war. I know all the gen about being sick.’ 1958, Doris Lessing, A Ripple From the Storm, HarperPerennial, published 1995, page 122:
   • "Haven't you heard?" said Belinda. "Joan's ill! She'd got a high temperature, and she's in bed in the San." 1940, Enid Blyton, The Naughtiest Girl in the School:
   • River Glade Sanatorium, River Glade, June 25, 1931. The "San" at River Glade with the Petitcodiac River in the background. 2005, Dan Soucoup, Richard Thorne McCully, McCully's New Brunswick, page 137:

Forms

Relateds

eco-san · san fairy ann · san ts'ai