ben1

[ben] /bɛn/
noun
1.
the inner or back room of a two-room cottage, especially when used as a combined parlor and bedroom.
adverb, preposition
2.
within; inside.
adjective
3.
inside; inner.
Origin
1400-50; late Middle English (Scots); as adv., unexplained variant of late Middle English bin, Middle English binne, Old English binnan (cognate with Old Frisian binna, Middle Dutch, German binnen), equivalent to bi- be- + innan within (cf. in)

ben2

[ben] /bɛn/
noun
1.
the seed of a tropical tree, Moringa pterygosperma, that yields an oil (ben oil) used in manufacturing cosmetics and lubricating delicate machinery.
Compare horseradish tree.
Origin
1550-60; < Arabic bān

ben3

[ben] /bɛn/
noun, Scot., Irish.
1.
a mountain peak; high hill:
Ben Nevis.
Origin
1780-90; < Scots Gaelic, Irish beann peak

ben4

[ben] /bɛn/
noun, (often initial capital letter)
1.
son of (used especially in Hebrew and Arabic names):
Moses ben Maimon.

Ben

[ben] /bɛn/
noun
1.
a male given name, form of Benjamin.
Can be confused
bean, been, Ben, bin.
British Dictionary definitions for ben

ben1

/bɛn/
noun
1.
an inner room in a house or cottage
preposition, adverb
2.
in; within; inside; into the inner part (of a house)
adjective
3.
inner
Compare but2
Word Origin
Old English binnan, from be- + innan inside

ben2

/bɛn/
noun
1.
any of several Asiatic trees of the genus Moringa, esp M. oleifera of Arabia and India, whose seeds yield oil of ben, used in manufacturing perfumes and cosmetics, lubricating delicate machinery, etc: family Moringaceae
2.
the seed of such a tree
Word Origin
C15: from Arabic bān

ben3

/bɛn/
noun
1.
(Scot & Irish) a mountain peak (esp in place names): Ben Lomond
Word Origin
C18: from Gaelic beinn, from beann
Word Origin and History for ben
n.

"mountain peak" in Celtic place names (especially of roughly pyramidal peaks standing alone), from Gaelic beinn, from Old Irish *benno- "peak, horn, conical point," from PIE root *bend- "projecting point."

Related Abbreviations for ben

ben

Latin bene (well)