been

[ bin ]
/ bɪn /

verb

past participle of be.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH been

bean been Ben bin

Definition for been (2 of 2)

be
[ bee; unstressed bee, bi ]
/ bi; unstressed bi, bɪ /

verb (used without object), present singular 1st person am, 2nd are or (Archaic) art, 3rd is, present plural are; past singular 1st person was, 2nd were or (Archaic) wast or wert, 3rd was, past plural were; present subjunctive be; past subjunctive singular 1st person were, 2nd were or (Archaic) wert, 3rd were; past subjunctive plural were; past participle been; present participle be·ing.

auxiliary verb, present singular 1st person am, 2nd are or (Archaic) art, 3rd is, present plural are; past singular 1st person was, 2nd were or (Archaic) wast or wert, 3rd was, past plural were; present subjunctive be; past subjunctive singular 1st person were, 2nd were or (Archaic) wert, 3rd were; past subjunctive plural were; past participle been; present participle be·ing.

Origin of be

before 900; Middle English been, Old English bēon ( bēo- (akin to Old Frisian, Old High German bim, German bin, Old Saxon bium, biom (I) am, Old English, Old High German, Old Saxon būan, Old Norse būa reside, Latin fuī (I) have been, Greek phy- grow, become, Old Irish boí (he) was, Sanskrit bhávati (he) becomes, is, Lithuanian búti to be, OCS byti, Persian būd was)) + -n infinitive suffix. See am, is, are1, was, were

usage note for be

See me.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH be

be bee

British Dictionary definitions for been (1 of 6)

been
/ (biːn, bɪn) /

verb

the past participle of be 1

British Dictionary definitions for been (2 of 6)

Be

the chemical symbol for

beryllium

British Dictionary definitions for been (3 of 6)

BE

abbreviation for

bill of exchange
(in the US) Board of Education
Bachelor of Education
Bachelor of Engineering

British Dictionary definitions for been (4 of 6)


abbreviation for

Baumé

British Dictionary definitions for been (5 of 6)

be 1
/ (biː, unstressed ) /

verb present singular 1st person am; 2nd person are; 3rd person is; present plural are; past singular 1st person was; 2nd person were; 3rd person was; past plural were; present participle being or past participle been (intr)

Word Origin for be

Old English bēon; related to Old High German bim am, Latin fui I have been, Greek phuein to bring forth, Sanskrit bhavati he is

British Dictionary definitions for been (6 of 6)

be 2

the internet domain name for

Belgium

Medical definitions for been

Be

The symbol for the elementberyllium

Scientific definitions for been

Be

The symbol for beryllium.

Idioms and Phrases with been

be