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fen

USFEN/fɛn/

Pluralfens, fen

6 meanings of fen

Practice

  1. 1
    nouncountable
    Low, flat land that is wet and marshy.

    Like a giant wet sponge of land that soaks up water from below.

    The fen near the village floods a little every spring.

    Rare birds nest in the wide fens along the coast.

    Note
  2. 2
    Chinese coinnouncountable
    A small unit of money in China, equal to one part in a hundred of a yuan.

    Like a single penny compared to a whole dollar.

    One fen is almost worthless on its own today.

    Prices in the old shop were marked in yuan and fen.

    UsageFor more than one, still say fen: ten fen.

    Note
  3. 3
    sci-fi fansnounslang
    A joking way to say 'fans,' used by lovers of science fiction, fantasy, and anime.

    Like calling a group of geese 'geese' instead of 'gooses': a special plural just for these fans.

    Hundreds of fen packed the convention hall for the panel.

    The fen argued for hours online about the show's ending.

    UsageIt means more than one fan. Most people just say fans.

    Similarfans, enthusiasts

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 4
    nounobsoleteuncountable
    A type of mildew that grows on hop plants.
    Among these are reckoned the wire worm; the flea, and the fly; the fen or mould; the mildew ; and what are usually called fire blasts.
    1808, Thomas Potts, The British Farmer's Cyclopaedia orHere, fen means a mildew or mold that grows on hop plants.
    Note
  2. 5
    interjectionobsolete
    A call children once used in games to stop or block another player's move.
    Note
  3. 6
    nounslang
    A short, friendly nickname for the fennec, a small desert fox with very large ears.

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Origins

Meaning 1

From Old English fenn, meaning marsh or mud.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 1 fact

  • English fen derives from Old English fenn, meaning marsh or mud. en.wikipedia.org
Meaning 2

From the Chinese word 分 (fēn).

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 1 fact

Meaning 3

From fan, made plural like men from man.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 1 fact

  • Fen derives from fan, with its plural formed by analogy with man/men. en.wiktionary.org
Meaning 5

Maybe linked to fend, which means to keep something away.

Meaning 4

From Old English fyne, meaning moisture or mold.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 1 fact