---
name: "an"
section: "6"
platform: "linux"
package: "an"
version: "1.2-7+b2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/an"
---

# an(6)

Anagram generator

## NAME

an - Anagram generator

## SYNOPSIS

**an** \[-w\] \[-c string\] \[-d dictionary\] \[-l number\_words\] \[-m word\_length\] \[-u string\] \[-n number\_anagrams\] \[-h\] \[-v\] \[--words\] \[--contain string\] \[--dict dictionary\] \[--length number\_words\] \[--minimum word\_length\]  \[--used string\]  \[--number number\_anagrams\] \[--help\] \[--version\] PHRASE

## DESCRIPTION

**an** finds all anagrams which can be made from the letters in **PHRASE**,  using words in the specified dictionary. The default is to use  /usr/share/dict/words.

## OPTIONS

- *-w, --words*

  Print words that the letters in **PHRASE** can make, then exit.

- *-c, --contain string*

  Only print anagrams which contain *string*.

- *-d, --dict dictionary*

  Use *dictionary* file to find words which the letters in **PHRASE** can make.

- *-m, --minimum word\_length*

  Only include word which are at least *word\_length* long.

- *-u, --used string*

  Considers that letters in *string* have already used when analyzing letters in **PHRASE**.  Like *--contain* but doesn't print out *string*.

- *-l, --length number\_words*

  Finds anagrams which have a maximum of *number\_words* words in them. This is very useful when number of anagrams which are output is large.

- *-n, --number number\_anagrams*

  Stops after finding *number\_anagrams* anagrams.

- *-h, --help*

  Print a usage message on standard output, then exit.

- *-v, --version*

  Print version information on standard output, then exit.

## EXAMPLE

an -c imp 'Paul Martin'

Finds anagrams for *Paul Martin* which contain the word *imp*.

## AUTHOR

*Paul Martin* \<pm@debian.org\>

## THANKS

*Richard Jones* (richard@deep-thought.org)\
   \- Coding and algorithm design of original version.

*Julian Assange* (proff@suburbia.net)\
   \- Algorithm design of original version.

Please note that the email addresses for Richard and Julian are from over ten years ago and probably no longer work.

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright (c) Paul Martin 2012. All rights reserved.