waken
UK: ˈweɪkən | US: ˈweɪkən
vi. to stop sleeping; to become awake
vt. to cause someone to stop sleeping; to rouse from sleep
waken = wake<to become awake> + en<verb suffix>
- wake: From Old English wacan (to arise, become awake) and wacian (to be awake), rooted in Proto-Germanic wakaną. Retains the core meaning of emerging from sleep.
- en: A verb-forming suffix from Old English -nian, used to create transitive or intransitive verbs (e.g., darken, strengthen).
Etymology Origin:
"Waken" evolved from Old English wæcnan, blending wacan (to arise) with the frequentative suffix -n, emphasizing repeated or gradual action. The addition of -en later reinforced its verbal nature, distinguishing it from the simpler "wake." Over time, "waken" specialized as a literary or archaic variant of "wake," often implying a gentler or more prolonged awakening.
The noise wakened the baby, who began to cry.
She wakened at dawn to the sound of birds singing.
A sudden shout wakened him from his deep slumber.
The old tale warns of spirits that waken at midnight.
He wakened slowly, blinking in the morning light.