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Definition of von

von

/vɑːn/
von
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von Lexical Profile

von Game Scores & Validity

• preposition

1

Used in German and Austrian family names as a nobiliary particle to indicate noble lineage, an ancestral estate, or a place of origin, equivalent to English 'of' or 'from'.

Example

"The symphony was conducted by Herbert von Karajan in Berlin."

Word Nuance & Usage

In German and Austrian names, 'von' historically denotes nobility or an ancestral estate (unlike the Dutch 'van', which usually indicates only geographic origin). In English prose, it is generally left lowercase unless it begins a sentence.

• Rhymes for von

• Nearby Words

vomit
vomiter
vomity
von
voodoo
voracious
voraciously

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from German von ('from, of'), from Middle High German and Old High German fon, fona.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Von. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/von
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