pan

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noun (1)

ˈpan 

1

a

: a usually broad, shallow, and open container for domestic use (as for cooking)

b

: any of various similar usually metal receptacles: such as

(1)

: the hollow part of the lock in a firelock or flintlock gun that receives the priming

(2)

: either of the receptacles in a pair of scales

(3)

: a round shallow usually metal container for separating metal (such as gold) from waste by washing

c

British : toilet sense 1a

also : bowl sense 3b

d

: steel drum

2

a(1)

: a natural basin or depression in land

(2)

: a similar artificial basin (as for evaporating brine)

b

: a drifting fragment of the flat thin ice that forms in bays or along the shore

3

: hardpan sense 1

4

slang : face

5

: a harsh criticism

pan

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verb (1)

panned; panning

transitive verb

1

a

: to wash in a pan for the purpose of separating heavy particles

b

: to separate (a substance, such as gold) by panning

c

: to place in a pan

2

: to criticize severely

the show was panned

intransitive verb

1

: to wash material (such as earth or gravel) in a pan in search of metal (such as gold)

2

: to yield precious metal in the process of panning

—usually used with out

pan

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noun (2)

ˈpän 

1

: a betel leaf

2

: a masticatory of betel nut, mineral lime, and pan

pan

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noun (3)

ˈpan 

1

: the process of panning a movie or video camera

2

: a shot in which the camera is panned

pan

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verb (2)

ˈpan 

panned; panning

transitive verb

: to rotate (a camera, such as a movie camera) so as to keep an object in the picture or secure a panoramic effect

intransitive verb

1

: to pan a movie or video camera

2

of a camera : to undergo panning

Pan

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noun (4)

ˈpan 

: a Greek god of pastures, flocks, and shepherds usually represented as having the legs, horns, and ears of a goat

Pan is often depicted playing a panpipe.

Pan

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abbreviation (1)

Panama

PAN

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abbreviation (2)

peroxyacetyl nitrate

pan-

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combining form

1

: all : completely

panchromatic

2

a

: involving all of a (specified) group or region

Pan-American

b

: advocating or involving the union of a (specified) group

Pan-Slavism

3

: whole : general

panleukopenia

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• countenance
• face
• kisser [slang]
• mug
• puss [slang]
• visage

Verb (1)

• blame
• censure
• condemn
• criticize
• denounce
• dis [slang]
• diss
• dispraise
• fault
• knock
• reprehend
• slag [chiefly British]

Examples of pan in a Sentence

Noun (1)

hey, I could do without seeing your ugly pan for a few days

Verb (1)

virtually all the movie critics have panned this latest sequel in a tired series

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

While lemon juice is safe to use on stainless steel pans and utensils, don’t use it to clean other metals like plated brass, copper, aluminum, silver, or chrome. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 26 June 2025

Transfer the shrimp to a plate and set aside. 4: Add the wine, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper to the skillet, and bring to a simmer, scraping any browned bits from the pan. —The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 June 2025

Verb

Johnson has consistently panned the bill for not cutting enough spending, having called for a return to pre-pandemic levels. —Al Weaver, The Hill, 17 June 2025

The union has panned changes made to the driver pay classification system that resulted in some workers driving 100 kilometers to pick up freight without getting any compensation. —Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 16 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English panne, from Old English (akin to Old High German phanna pan), from Latin patina, from Greek patanē

Noun (2)

Hindi & Urdu pān, from Sanskrit parṇa wing, leaf — more at fern

Noun (3)

short for panorama

Noun (4)

Latin, from Greek

Combining form

Greek, from pan, neuter of pant-, pas all, every; akin to Tocharian B pont- all

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

1832, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (2)

1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

circa 1922, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1913, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun (4)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing pan

• down the pan
• flash in the pan
• frying pan
• going down the pan
• oil pan
• out of the frying pan into the fire
• pan fry
• pan out
• roasting pan
• salt pan
• sheet pan
• springform pan
• tube pan
• vacuum pan
• warming pan
• went down the pan

Rhymes for pan

• an
• ban
• bran
• can
• cann
• clan
• duan
• fan
• flan
• gran
• jann
• klan

Kids Definition

pan

1 of 3 noun

ˈpan 

1

a

: a usually broad, shallow, and open container for cooking

b

: something resembling a pan

2

: a basin or depression in the earth

a salt pan

pan

2 of 3 verb

panned; panning

1

: to wash earthy material in a pan to concentrate bits of metal

pan for gold

2

: to yield precious metal in panning

3

: to criticize severely

pan

3 of 3 verb

panned; panning

: to move a motion-picture or television camera so as to keep a moving object in view or to scan a scene

Etymology

Noun

Old English panne "pan for cooking," derived from Latin patina (same meaning)

Verb

from earlier pan "the process of panning," short for panorama

Medical Definition

Pan

1 of 2 noun

ˈpan 

: a genus of anthropoid apes containing the chimpanzee

PAN

2 of 2 abbreviation

peroxyacetyl nitrate