span

/sˈpæn/SPAN
/sˈpæn/SPAN

Meaningbind

Common meaning: extend across a distance

Journey through time

  1. Old Englishspannan‘bind’sourceB&T
  2. Middle Englishmeaning shiftsbind → graspspannen‘grasp’source
  3. Englishmeaning shiftsgrasp → extend across a distancespan‘extend across a distance’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Old English spannan ‘bind’.

Roots

Building blocks are an automatic split · open in app