What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Ben vs Don - What's the difference?

ben | don |

As nouns the difference between ben and don

is that ben is a prayer; a petition while don is a university professor, particularly one at Oxford or Cambridge.

As proper nouns the difference between ben and don

is that ben is a diminutive of the male given name Benjamin or, less often, of Benedict while Don is a diminutive of the male given name Donald or Gordon.

As a preposition ben

is in, into.

As an adjective ben

is inner, interior.

As a verb don is

to put on, to dress in.

ben

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) ben, bene, from (etyl) .

Alternative forms

*

Noun

(en noun)
  • (obsolete) A prayer; a petition.
  • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) ben, bene, variation of bin, .

    Preposition

    (English prepositions)
  • (Scotland, northern England) In, into.
  • * 2008 , (James Kelman), Kieron Smith, Boy , Penguin 2009, p. 32:
  • And he was waving to me to creep in, so I just did and then just to skip ben the front and then in the lobby.

    Adjective

  • Inner, interior.
  • Derived terms
    * ben-end, ben-room

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (Scotland, Northern England) Ben-room: The inner room of a two-room hut or shack (as opposed to the but).
  • Derived terms
    * but and ben

    Etymology 3

    Probably representing a North African pronunciation of (etyl)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A tree, Moringa oleifera or horseradish tree of Arabia and India, which produces oil of ben.
  • The winged seed of the ben tree.
  • The oil of the ben seed.
  • Synonyms
    * (tree) (l), (l), (l)
    Derived terms
    * ben-nut

    Etymology 4

    (etyl) .

    Alternative forms

    * Ben

    Noun

    (-)
  • (usually, capitalised) Son of (used with Hebrew and Arabic surnames).
  • Etymology 5

    From (etyl) beinn

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A Scottish or Irish mountain or high peak.
  • don

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) dominus'', "lord", "head of household", akin to Spanish ''don'' and Italian ''dom''; from ''domus'', "house", + diminutive suffix ''-inus . Compare dominie.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A university professor, particularly one at Oxford or Cambridge.
  • A mafia boss.
  • Derived terms
    * donnish

    Etymology 2

    A contraction of (etyl) do on. Compare also doff.

    Verb

    (donn)
  • (clothing) to put on, to dress in
  • To don one's clothes.
    Antonyms
    * (put on clothes)
    See also
    * (l) * (l)

    Anagrams

    * ----