Pronunciation: [wˈe͡ɪkən] (IPA) 
Waken is spelled with the letter "a" and not "o" despite the similar pronunciation to "awaken." This can be explained using IPA transcription, where waken is pronounced /ˈweɪkən/ and awaken is pronounced /əˈweɪkən/. The difference is in the stress on the first syllable of awaken, which changes the vowel sound from "a" to "aw." This distinction in spelling serves to differentiate between the two words, despite their similar meanings.
Waken is a verb that refers to the act of waking up or causing someone or something to wake up from sleep or a state of inactivity. It is most commonly used intransitively, meaning it does not require a direct object and is often followed by the preposition "up."
When used intransitively, waken conveys the action of rousing from sleep or becoming alert after a period of rest. It implies a transition from a state of unconsciousness or slumber to a state of wakefulness. For example, "She wakened suddenly from a deep sleep when she heard a loud noise." In this context, waken emphasizes the act of opening one's eyes and becoming aware of one's surroundings.
Waken can also be used transitively, indicating the action of arousing or causing someone or something to wake up. For instance, "The loud alarm clock wakened everyone in the house." Here, waken implies that the alarm clock caused the individuals to become awake.
This term is often associated with the beginning of a new day, as waking up is typically the first action performed upon awakening. It can describe the physical process of returning to consciousness or the mental process of becoming alert and aware. Overall, waken indicates the act of rousing from sleep or inactivity, whether it is done spontaneously or through external stimulation.
To cease to sleep; to rouse from sleep.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "waken" can be traced back to the Old English word "wæcnan" (also spelled "wæcnian"), which means "to rouse from sleep" or "to become awake". The Old English term eventually evolved into Middle English as "wakenen", and then later shortened to "waken". The word shares a common root with other Germanic languages, such as the Old High German word "wachan" and the Old Norse word "vakna". Overall, the etymology of "waken" can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic word "waknaną", meaning "to wake up".
