Aven
/ˈeɪvən/noun
A vertical shaft or opening in a limestone cave, especially in British usage; in Scots, it can also mean a river or stream.
Did you know?The cave sense is chiefly British and comes through French and Occitan, while the Scots stream sense belongs to the same Celtic family seen in names like Avon and Afon.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂ep-
“Water; a proposed ancient root associated with Celtic river terms”
Proto-Celtic
Celtic
*abonā
“River”
Old Irish
Old Irish
abann
“River or stream”
Medieval Welsh
Welsh
afon
“River; a form preserved in modern Welsh and in British place-names”
Medieval Gaelic
Gaelic
abhainn
“River or stream, developing into Scots forms such as aven”
18th Century
English
aven
“A vertical cave shaft or opening, borrowed through French and Occitan usage”
Modern English
English
aven
“A cave shaft, especially in British caving terminology; also a Scots word for a stream”