ed

1 of 5

noun

ˈed 

: education

driver's ed

adult ed

ed

2 of 5

abbreviation (1)

edited; edition; editor

ED

3 of 5

abbreviation (2)

erectile dysfunction

-ed

4 of 5

verb suffix or adjective suffix

d after a vowel or

b, 

g, 

j, 

l, 

m, 

n, 

ŋ, 

r, 

t͟h, 

v, 

z

or zh;

əd, 

id

after d

or t;

t after other sounds;

exceptions are pronounced at their entries

1

—used to form the past participle of regular weak verbs

ended

faded

tried

patted

2

—used to form adjectives of identical meaning from Latin-derived adjectives ending in -ate

crenulated

3

a

: having : characterized by

cultured

two-legged

b

: having the characteristics of

bigoted

-ed

5 of 5

verb suffix

—used to form the past tense of regular weak verbs

judged

denied

dropped

Word History

Etymology

Verb suffix or adjective suffix

Middle English, from Old English -ed, -od, -ad; akin to Old High German -t, past participle ending, Latin -tus, Greek -tos, suffix forming verbals

Verb suffix

Middle English -ede, -de, from Old English -de, -ede, -ode, -ade; akin to Old High German -ta, past ending (1st singular) and probably to Old High German -t, past participle ending

First Known Use

Noun

1950, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing ed

• op-ed
• phys ed
• special ed
• voc-ed

Rhymes for ed

• bed
• bled
• bread
• bred
• dead
• dread
• fed
• fled
• ged
• head
• lead
• led

Kids Definition

-ed

1 of 2 verb suffix or adjective suffix

d

after a vowel or b, 

g, 

j, 

l, 

m, 

n, 

ŋ, 

r, 

t͟h, 

v, 

z, 

zh;

əd, 

id

after d, 

t;

t

after other sounds; exceptions are pronounced at their subentries or entries

1

—used to form the past participle of regular weak verbs

ended

faded

tried

patted

2

a

: having : characterized by

cultured

two-legged

b

: having the characteristics of

bigoted

-ed

2 of 2 verb suffix

—used to form the past tense of regular weak verbs

judged

denied

dropped

Etymology

Verb suffix or adjective suffix

Old English -ed, -od, -ad (mark of the past participle of certain verbs)

Verb suffix

Old English -de, -ede, -ode, -ade (mark of the past tense of certain verbs)

Medical Definition

ED

abbreviation

1

effective dose

2

emergency department

3

erectile dysfunction

4

erythema dose