Alan
proper nounnounproper nouncommon in dialogue
- //ˈæl.ən//
A male given name from the Celtic languages.
proper noun
- 1
A male given name from the Celtic languages.
He grabbed at Alan by his Adam's apple, And Alan grabbed him back in furious grapple And clenched his fist and bashed him on the nose.
I could pose as an artist all right; so I took the studio. Also the name of Alan Beverley. My own is Bill Bates. I had often wondered what it would feel like to be called by some name like Alan Beverley or Cyril Trevelyan.
- 2
A surname.
Etymology
From Old Breton Alan, name of early Breton saints, of disputed origin and meaning; brought to England by Normans. It may have been the name of a Celtic deity, the brother of Bran, Welsh Alawn, Alun. As an early Irish name, perhaps connected with ail (“noble”). Compare French Alain.
noun
- 1
historicalA member of a group of Sarmatian tribes, nomadic pastoralists of the 1st millennium AD who spoke an Eastern Iranian language derived from Scytho-Sarmatian and which in turn evolved into modern Ossetian.
Etymology
From Latin Alānī, from Ancient Greek Ἀλανοί (Alanoí), from Proto-Sarmatian *Āllān.
proper noun
- 1
A male given name from Hebrew, variant of Elon.
Forms
- plural
- Alans, Alani
Alan · A male given name from the Celtic languages.
alarm · A summons to arms, as on the approach of an enemy.alarmed · Having an alarm fitted.alarming · Causing apprehension, fear or alarm; frightening.