Added 9 October 2026
warn
/wɔːn/ verb
In Latin: moneō Wiktionary
verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about warn at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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To make (someone) aware of (something impending); especially: To make (someone) aware of impending danger, evil, etc. .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller}
We waved a flag to warn the oncoming traffic about the accident.
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To make (someone) aware of impending danger, evil, etc. .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller}
We waved a flag to warn the oncoming traffic about the accident.
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To notify or inform (someone, about something).
I warned him he'd be getting a huge box of birthday presents from me.
Origin
From Middle English warnen, warnien (“to warn; admonish”), from Old English warnian (“to take heed; warn”), from Proto-Germanic *warnōną (“to warn; take heed”), from Proto-Indo-European *wer- (“to be aware; give heed”). Cognate with Dutch waarnen (obsolete), German Low German warnen, German warnen, Swedish varna, Icelandic varna.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)