Pen

What “Pen” means

Noun

1. An enclosure (enclosed area) used to contain domesticated animals, especially sheep or cattle.
2. A penitentiary, i.e. a state or federal prison for convicted felons.
3. The bullpen.

Verb

1. To enclose in a pen.

Noun

1. A tool, originally made from a feather but now usually a small tubular instrument, containing ink used to write or make marks.
2. A writer, or their style.
3. Marks of ink left by a pen.
4. A light pen.
5. The internal cartilage skeleton of a squid, shaped like a pen.

Verb

1. To write (an article, a book, etc.).
2. To write or draw on (a surface) with a pen.

Where the word comes from

From Middle English pen, penne (“enclosure for animals”), from Old English penn (“enclosure, fold, pen”), from Proto-Germanic *pennō, *pannijō (“pin, bolt, nail, tack”), from Proto-Indo-European *bend- (“pointed peg, nail, edge”). Related to pin. Sense “prison” originally figurative extension to “enclosure for persons” (1845), later influenced by penitentiary (“prison”), being analyzed as an abbreviation (1884).

From Middle English pennen, from Old English *pennian (“to close, lock, bolt”, attested in onpennian (“to open”)), derived from penn (see above). Akin to Low German pennen (“to secure a door with a bolt”).

From Middle English penne, from Anglo-Norman penne, from Old French penne, from Latin penna (“feather”), from Proto-Indo-European *péth₂r̥ ~ pth₂én- (“feather, wing”), from *peth₂- (“to rush, fly”, whence petition), root of *petra-, whence Ancient Greek πτερόν (pterón, “wing”, whence pterodactyl), and also of Sanskrit पत्रम् (patram, “wing, feather”), Old Church Slavonic перо (pero, “pen”), Old Norse fjǫðr (“feather”), Old English feþer, feðer (Modern English feather); note the /p/ → /f/ Germanic sound change. Doublet of panne, penna, and pinna. See feather and πέτομαι (pétomai) for more. Not related to pencil.

Business name ideas with “Pen”

Industries where “Pen” fits

We suggest this word for 2 business types and industries, including:

• Copywriting Business
• Marketing Consulting Services