însemn

Însemn is a Romanian word that most often appears as a verb form rather than as an independent headword in modern dictionaries. It is connected to the verb a însemna, which means to mean or to signify. In standard Romanian, the infinitive is însemna, while însemn exists as a conjugated form within the present tense of that verb, most notably in the first-person singular, where it expresses the sense “I mean” or “I signify.” Because it is a secondary form, însemn is most commonly encountered in older texts, literary language, or in grammatical references rather than in everyday speech.

Noun use of însemn is rare in contemporary Romanian. The language normally uses semn (sign) or însemnare (notation, inscription, or signification) to convey related meanings. When encountered in older or regional texts, însemn could appear as a nominalized or archaic variant referencing a sign or mark, but this usage is not standard in modern everyday language.

Etymology and related forms are linked to semn (sign) and to the concept of meaning or significance embedded in a sign. The sense of “to mean” developed from the idea of using signs or marks to convey information, a core semantic relationship retained in the verb a însemna.

See also: semn, înseamnă, însemnare, însemnătate.

Note: In Romanian, the most reliable way to express “what does this word mean?” is to use întrebarea Ce înseamnă acest cuvânt?, or to discuss the concept of meaning through formere forms of însemna and its related nouns.