English

1 of 3

adjective

En·​glish ˈiŋ-glish How to pronounce English (audio) ˈiŋ-lish How to pronounce English (audio)
: of, relating to, or characteristic of England, the English people, or the English language
Englishness noun

English

2 of 3

noun

1
a
: the language of the people of England and the U.S. and many areas now or formerly under British control
b
: a particular variety of English distinguished by peculiarities (as of pronunciation)
c
: English language, literature, or composition when a subject of study
2
plural in construction : the people of England
3
a
: an English translation
b
: idiomatic or intelligible English
4
: spin around the vertical axis deliberately imparted to a ball that is driven or rolled compare draw, follow, body english

English

3 of 3

verb

Englished; Englishing; Englishes

transitive verb

1
: to translate into English
2
: to adopt into English : anglicize

Examples of English in a Sentence

Noun The English traditionally have afternoon tea. I asked the doctor to give me my diagnosis in English, not medical jargon.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
William Wallace, who waged a guerrilla war against English invaders during the Scottish Wars of Independence in the late 13th century, launched his forays across the border from Ettrick Forest, not far from Hawick. —Yannic Rack, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 July 2024 Vahe was an English major at the University of Pennsylvania and earned his master’s degree at Mizzou. —Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 2 July 2024
Noun
Perhaps the oldest and most influential dragon in Western literature comes from the Old English epic poem Beowulf. —Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 July 2024 Growing up in Canada, twin brothers Allen and Barton Lu spoke a mix of Mandarin and English. —Chloe Meister, Washington Post, 3 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for English 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'English.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English englisc, from Engle (plural) Angles

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Phrases Containing English

Dictionary Entries Near English

Englewood

English

English basement

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“English.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/English. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.

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Kids Definition

English

1 of 2 adjective
En·​glish ˈiŋ-glish How to pronounce English (audio)
: of, relating to, or characteristic of England, the English people, or the English language

English

2 of 2 noun
1
a
: the language of the people of England and the U.S. and many areas now or formerly under British control
b
: English language, literature, or writing technique that is a subject of study
2
English plural : the people of England
3
: a sideways spin given to a ball when it is struck or bowled
Etymology

Adjective

Old English englisc "English," from Engle "the Angles (Germanic people who invaded England in the 5th century along with the Saxons and with them formed the Anglo-Saxon peoples)"

Biographical Definition

English

biographical name

En·​glish ˈiŋ-glish How to pronounce English (audio)
ˈiŋ-lish
Bill 1961–    Simon William English prime minister of New Zealand (2016–2017)
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