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noun Very common

ed

ehd
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Ed (noun) means a short informal way of saying "education," especially in school or course names. Example: “She teaches phys ed at the local high school.”

noun
1
A short informal way of saying "education," especially in school or course names.
"She teaches phys ed at the local high school."
"He signed up for an adult ed class on Tuesday evenings."
"The school needs a new teacher for its special ed department."
2
A short informal way of saying "edition" or "editor," often seen in publishing credits.
"The 3rd ed. of the textbook added two new chapters."
"The paperback ed. costs less than the hardback one."
"The revised ed. fixes the typing mistakes found in the first."

How to use ed

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA common abbreviation, meaning either "education" (as in "phys ed") or "edition/editor" in publishing.

When to use it

Informal in speech ("phys ed," "driver's ed"); standard as an abbreviation in print ("2nd ed.").

Common pairings
phys ed sex ed driver's ed 2nd ed.
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Word forms

Plural
eds
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

She teaches phys _____ at the local high school.

Etymology

Borrowed from Japanese ED (エンディング, endingu), which itself comes from English ending.

Origin: Japanese

Related words

Frequently asked questions

What does “ed” mean?
The word “ed” means a short informal way of saying "education," especially in school or course names. In plain terms, a common abbreviation, meaning either "education" (as in "phys ed") or "edition/editor" in publishing.
How do you pronounce “ed”?
“Ed” is pronounced ehd (/ɛd/ in IPA).
How do you use “ed” in a sentence?
Here is “ed” used in a sentence: “She teaches phys ed at the local high school.”
What is another word for “ed”?
Words with a similar meaning to “ed” include educ..
What part of speech is “ed”?
“Ed” is a noun.
Is “ed” a common word?
“Ed” is a very common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “ed” have?
“Ed” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a short informal way of saying "education," especially in school or course names.
What is an example of 'ed' used to mean education?
'Phys Ed' is the most common example — the school term for physical education, or gym class. Others include 'Driver's Ed', the course that teaches teenagers to drive, and 'Higher Ed', an informal way to refer to universities and colleges collectively.

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