dən

noun

 dən  ;
read as
ˌən-ˈstrest-ˈdən How to pronounce dən (audio)
when preceded by modifier read as
ˈdən How to pronounce dən (audio)
linguistics
: the verb form done (see done entry 1) used in African American English to indicate that something (such as a state or an event) has ended or been completed or that the speaker is feeling an intense emotion (such as shock, surprise, or disappointment) that counters the speaker's expectations : perfective done sense a, preverbal done sense a, unstressed done
Dən: The dən feature, pronounced done, marks the completed nature of an action, and/or its relevance to the present. An example of the dən feature is shown here: He done already paid for the trip.April Baker-Bell
dən denotes that an event has ended …Lisa J. Green

Note: The feature of African American English called dən is unstressed in pronunciation, usually precedes past tense verbs forms (such as talked, lived, or went) that express events or actions and that have a definite end point; sometimes precedes present tense verbs; and sometimes follows the invariant be and stressed BIN features of African American English.

Word History

First Known Use

2002, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dən was in 2002

Dictionary Entries Near dən

Cite this Entry

“Dən.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/d%C9%99n. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!