fen

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈfen 

: low land that is covered wholly or partly with water unless artificially drained and that usually has peaty alkaline soil and characteristic flora (as of sedges and reeds)

fen

2 of 2

noun (2)

ˈfən 

plural fen

: a monetary subunit of the yuan see yuan at Money Table

Synonyms of fen

Noun (1)

• marsh
• wetland
• swamp

Examples of fen in a Sentence

Noun (1)

a day spent trudging through the fens in quest of game birds

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The wind reaches the fens of eastern England before the light does, moving over the marshes in long gray sweeps. — Jp Mangalindan, Time, 11 Sep. 2026

Poison sumac is typically found in fens and indicates wet soil, MSU said. — Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 10 July 2026

Commoners relied on swamps, fens, forests, and heaths for fuel, gravel, stone, and wood to make tools and to build and repair houses. — Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026

The goal was to help preserve and protect the delicate valley and its fens. — John Meyer, Denver Post, 25 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English fenn; akin to Old High German fenna fen, Sanskrit paṅka mud

Noun (2)

Chinese (Beijing) fēn

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1916, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing fen

• fen-phen
• phen-fen

Rhymes for fen

• ben
• bren
• chen
• den
• en
• gen
• glen
• hen
• jen
• ken
• men
• pen

Kids Definition

fen

noun

ˈfen

: low land covered wholly or partly by water

Geographical Definition

Fen

geographical name

ˈfən 

ˈfen

river 300 miles (483 kilometers) long in northern China in central Shanxi flowing south-southeast into the Huang River