Open

How to spell open

4 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce open

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does open mean?

1. adjectiveNot closed, shut, or fastened; allowing access or passage.
2. verbTo move or adjust something so that it is no longer closed or sealed.

Open in a sentence

• adjective

  The shop stays open until late on weekdays.

• verb

  Please open the door before the guests arrive.

• adjective

  She left the window open to let the breeze in.

• verb

  He tried to open the jar with a damp cloth.

Where does open come from?

Language of origin: Germanic

This word descends directly from the Old English 'open', which already meant 'not closed, uncovered, exposed', making it one of the native Germanic words English has carried almost unchanged for more than a thousand years. It is closely linked to the Old English 'up', and scholars connect the family to the idea of something raised or lifted so that what was hidden becomes visible. Cousins survive across the Germanic languages, including Dutch 'open' and German 'offen', all pointing back to a shared Proto-Germanic ancestor. The verb sense, 'to make open', grew naturally alongside the adjective from the very earliest records. Because the spelling has stayed so stable and matches its sound so plainly, it carries none of the silent-letter traps that catch writers out in borrowed words.

How the word is built

• open (from Old English open: uncovered, exposed); a single root with no affixes