Taken
/ˈteɪkən/noun
The past participle of “take,” meaning to have seized, carried, accepted, or undergone something.
Did you know?Unlike many English verbs, “take” entered English from Old Norse rather than Old English, reflecting the profound linguistic influence of Viking settlers in medieval Britain.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic (uncertain)
Germanic
*tēkaną
“A reconstructed Germanic form associated with taking or receiving; its deeper origin is uncertain.”
Viking Age
Old Norse
taka
“To take, seize, grasp, or receive.”
12th Century
Middle English
taken
“The past participle of taken, meaning seized, received, or carried away.”
14th Century
Middle English
taken
“The established past-participial form of take.”
Modern English
English
taken
“Seized, accepted, occupied, affected, or undergone, depending on context.”