# San

/ˈsæn/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/san
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. computing network

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

Stands for storage area network. A special high-speed network that connects computers to large amounts of data storage.

For teachers: Abbreviation for storage area network. A dedicated high-speed network or subnetwork that interconnects and presents shared pools of storage devices to multiple servers.

- The company upgraded its SAN to make sure the database could handle more users.
- By implementing a robust SAN, the enterprise ensured that its mission-critical applications had low-latency access to centralised storage arrays.

Usage: Usually functions as a countable noun in technical contexts.

### 4. Greek letter

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

an ancient Greek letter that looked like an 'M' but sounded like 'S'.

For teachers: an archaic letter of the Greek alphabet (uppercase Ϻ, lowercase ϻ) that was used in certain dialects before being replaced by sigma.

- The historian found the letter san in an old inscription from the city of Corinth.
- In some Doric inscriptions, the letter san appears as a distinct sibilant, though it eventually fell out of use in favour of the standard sigma.

## Examples

- The city of San Francisco is famous for its bridge.
- Many cities in California were originally named after saints, such as San Diego and San Jose.
- The festival of San Juan is celebrated with large bonfires and traditional music in many coastal towns across Spain and Latin America.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.