English Online Dictionary. What means ken? What does ken mean?
English
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /kɛn/
- (pin–pen merger) IPA(key): /kɪn/
- Rhymes: -ɛn
- Homophones: Ken; kin (pin–pen merger)
Etymology 1
From Middle English kennen (“to give birth, conceive, generate, beget; to develop (as a fetus), hatch out (of eggs); to sustain, nourish, nurture”), from Old English cennan (“to give birth, conceive, generate, beget”), from Proto-West Germanic *kannjan, from Proto-Germanic *kanjaną.
Verb
ken (third-person singular simple present kens, present participle kenning, simple past and past participle kenned)
- (obsolete) To give birth, conceive, beget, be born; to develop (as a fetus); to nourish, sustain (as life).
Etymology 2
Northern and Scottish dialects from Middle English kennen, from Old English cennan (“make known, declare, acknowledge”) originally “to make known”, causative of cunnan (“to become acquainted with, to know”), from Proto-West Germanic *kannijan, from Proto-Germanic *kannijaną, causative of *kunnaną (“be able”), from which comes the verb can.
Cognate with West Frisian kenne (“to know; recognise”), Dutch kennen (“to know”), German kennen (“to know, be acquainted with someone/something”), Norwegian Bokmål kjenne, Norwegian Nynorsk kjenna, Old Norse kenna (“to know, perceive”), Swedish känna (“to know, feel”), Danish kende (“to know”). See also: can, con.
The noun meaning “range of sight” is a nautical abbreviation of present participle kenning.
Verb
ken (third-person singular simple present kens, present participle kenning, simple past and past participle kenned or kent)
- (transitive, chiefly Scotland) To know, perceive or understand.
- (obsolete, chiefly Scotland) To discover by sight; to catch sight of; to descry.
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
Noun
ken (uncountable)
- Knowledge, perception, or sight.
- (nautical) Range of sight.
Usage notes
In common usage a fossil word, found only in phrases such as beyond one’s ken and swim into one’s ken.
Coordinate terms
- (nautical range of sight): offing
Translations
References
- Frank Graham, editor (1987), “KEN”, in The New Geordie Dictionary, Rothbury, Northumberland: Butler Publishing, →ISBN.
- Northumberland Words, English Dialect Society, R. Oliver Heslop, 1893–4
- “Ken”, in Palgrave’s Word List: Durham & Tyneside Dialect Group[1], archived from the original on 2024-09-05, from F[rancis] M[ilnes] T[emple] Palgrave, A List of Words and Phrases in Everyday Use by the Natives of Hetton-le-Hole in the County of Durham […] (Publications of the English Dialect Society; 74), London: Published for the English Dialect Society by Henry Frowde, Oxford University Press, 1896, →OCLC.
- Todd's Geordie Words and Phrases, George Todd, Newcastle, 1977[2]
- John A. Simpson and Edmund S. C. Weiner, editors (1989), “ken”, in The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, →ISBN.
Etymology 3
Perhaps from kennel.
Noun
ken (plural kens)
- (slang, UK, obsolete, thieves' cant) A house, especially a den of thieves.
Derived terms
Etymology 4
From Hebrew קֵן (“nest”).
Noun
ken (plural kenim)
- (Judaism) Youth or children's group.
Etymology 5
From Japanese 間.
Noun
ken (plural kens or ken)
- A Japanese unit of length equal to six shakus.
Etymology 6
From Japanese 剣.
Noun
ken (plural ken)
- The tsurugi (type of sword).
See also
- jan ken po
- ken oath
Anagrams
- nek
Afar
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈken/ [ˈkɛn]
- Hyphenation: ken
Pronoun
kén (predicative kéeni)
- they, them
See also
Determiner
kén
- their
See also
References
- E. M. Parker, R. J. Hayward (1985) “ken”, in An Afar-English-French dictionary (with Grammatical Notes in English), University of London, →ISBN
- Mohamed Hassan Kamil (2015) L’afar: description grammaticale d’une langue couchitique (Djibouti, Erythrée et Ethiopie)[7], Paris: Université Sorbonne Paris Cité (doctoral thesis)
Afrikaans
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /kɛn/
Etymology 1
From Dutch kin, from Middle Dutch kinne, from Old Dutch kinni, from Proto-Germanic *kinnuz, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵénus.
Noun
ken (plural kenne)
- chin
Alternative forms
- kin
Etymology 2
From Dutch kennen.
Verb
ken (present ken, present participle kennende, past participle geken)
- (transitive) To know (a person, a thing), be acquainted with
Derived terms
- te kenne
Basque
Noun
ken
- genitive plural of ka
Breton
Etymology
From Proto-Brythonic *ken, from Proto-Celtic *kina (“on this side of”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱe (“this, here”).
Adverb
ken
- exclamative adverb
- ken (bras) ― so (big)
- equality adverb
- (n'eo ket) ken (bras ha me) ― (he/she is not) so (big as me)
- negative adverb
Cimbrian
Etymology 1
From Middle High German kemen, quemen, from Old High German kweman, from Proto-West Germanic *kweman, from Proto-Germanic *kwemaną. Cognate with German kommen, English come.
Verb
ken (strong)
- (Tredici Comuni) to come
Alternative forms
- khemmen, khèmman
Etymology 2
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Conjunction
ken
- than
- Synonyms: dan, bèdar, kédar
Further reading
- “ken” in Martalar, Umberto Martello, Bellotto, Alfonso (1974) Dizionario della lingua Cimbra dei Sette Communi vicentini, 1st edition, Roana, Italy: Instituto di Cultura Cimbra A. Dal Pozzo
- Patuzzi, Umberto, ed., (2013) Luserna / Lusérn: Le nostre parole / Ünsarne börtar / Unsere Wörter [Our Words], Luserna, Italy: Comitato unitario delle isole linguistiche storiche germaniche in Italia / Einheitskomitee der historischen deutschen Sprachinseln in Italien
Dupaningan Agta
Noun
ken
- skirt
Dutch
Pronunciation
- Rhymes: -ɛn
- IPA(key): /kɛn/
Verb
ken
- inflection of kennen:
- first-person singular present indicative
- (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative
- imperative
Anagrams
- nek, enk
Finnish
Etymology
From Proto-Finnic *ken, from Proto-Uralic *ke. Cognate with Ter Sami kie, Erzya ки (ki), кие (kije), Udmurt кин (kin) and Hungarian ki.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈken/, [ˈk̟e̞n]
- Rhymes: -en
- Syllabification(key): ken
Pronoun
ken
- (interrogative, dated) who; (when followed by a modifier in the elative case) which one (of)
- (indefinite, dated) whoever
Usage notes
- Ken is old-fashioned or poetic in tone (or dialectal), yet its inflected forms are common and standard. See the usage notes under kuka.
Inflection
See kuka.
Synonyms
- (who): kuka
- (whoever): kuka tahansa
Derived terms
Further reading
- “ken”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish][8] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-02
French
Etymology
Clipping of kéni, the verlan form of niquer.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /kɛn/
Verb
ken
- (vulgar, Verlan) Synonym of niquer
Usage notes
Only used as infinitive or past participle.
Hungarian
Etymology
Of unknown origin.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [ˈkɛn]
- Rhymes: -ɛn
Verb
ken
- (transitive) to smear
Conjugation
Derived terms
(With verbal prefixes):
References
Further reading
- ken in Bárczi, Géza and László Országh. A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára (“The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language”, abbr.: ÉrtSz.). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN
Indonesian
Etymology 1
Borrowed from Javanese ꦏꦺꦤ꧀ (kén), from Old Javanese ken (“particle before a noun (categorical or proper) denoting a person of some rank”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /kɛn/
- Hyphenation: kèn
Noun
ken
- honorific for male and female children.
Etymology 2
From Japanese 拳 (けん, ken, “fist”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /kɛn/
- Hyphenation: kèn
Noun
ken
- fist.
Etymology 3
Unadapted borrowing from Japanese 縣 (ken, “prefecture”). Romanised according modified Kunrei-shiki romanization.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /kɛn/
- Hyphenation: kèn
Noun
ken
- (historical, 1942-1945) Synonym of kabupaten (“regency”)
Further reading
- “ken” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.
Ingrian
Etymology
From Proto-Finnic *ken. Cognates include Finnish ken and Estonian kes.
Pronunciation
- (Ala-Laukaa) IPA(key): /ˈken/, [ˈke̞n]
- (Soikkola) IPA(key): /ˈken/, [ˈke̞n]
- Rhymes: -en
- Hyphenation: ken
Pronoun
ken
- (interrogative) who?
- (indefinite) whoever
- (relative) who, that
Declension
Derived terms
References
- V. I. Junus (1936) Iƶoran Keelen Grammatikka[9], Leningrad: Riikin Ucebno-pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva, page 100
- Ruben E. Nirvi (1971) Inkeroismurteiden Sanakirja, Helsinki: Suomalais-Ugrilainen Seura, page 152
Japanese
Romanization
ken
- Rōmaji transcription of けん
- Rōmaji transcription of ケン
Kabuverdianu
Etymology
From Portuguese quem.
Pronoun
ken
- who
Karaim
Alternative forms
- kien
Etymology
From Proto-Turkic *kẹ̄ŋ.
Adjective
ken
- wide
References
- N. A. Baskakov, S.M. Šapšala, editor (1973), “ken”, in Karaimsko-Russko-Polʹskij Slovarʹ [Karaim-Russian-Polish Dictionary], Moscow: Moskva, →ISBN
Karelian
Etymology
From Proto-Finnic *ken. Cognates include Finnish ken and Veps ken.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈken/
- Hyphenation: ken
Pronoun
ken
- (interrogative) who?
- (relative) whoever
Declension
Derived terms
References
- A. V. Punzhina (1994) “ken”, in Словарь карельского языка (тверские говоры) [Dictionary of the Karelian language (Tver dialects)], →ISBN
- P. Zaykov, L. Rugoyeva (1999) “ken”, in Карельско-Русский словарь (Северно-Карельские диалекты) [Karelian-Russian dictionary (North Karelian dialects)], Petrozavodsk, →ISBN
Ladino
Etymology
From Latin quĕm, accusative of qui.
Pronoun
ken (Latin spelling, Hebrew spelling קיין)
- who, whom
- whoever, whomever
Livvi
Etymology
From Proto-Finnic *ken, from Proto-Uralic *ke. Cognates include Karelian ken and Ingrian ken.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈken/
- Hyphenation: ken
Pronoun
ken
- who?
- Ken hyö ollah? ― Who are they?
References
- N. Gilojeva, S. Rudakova (2009) Karjalan kielen Livvin murdehen algukursu [Beginners' course of Karelian language's Livvi dialect][10] (in Livvi), Petrozavodsk, →ISBN, page 10
- Tatjana Boiko (2019) Suuri Karjal-Venʹalaine Sanakniigu (livvin murreh) [The Big Karelian-Russian dictionary (Livvi dialect)], 2nd edition, →ISBN, page 100
Maguindanao
Etymology
From kan. Compare Maranao kan.
Pronunciation
- (Standard Maguindanaon) IPA(key): /kən/ [kɪɳ]
- Rhymes: -ən
- Syllabification: ken
Noun
kën
- food
Mandarin
Romanization
ken
- Nonstandard spelling of kēn.
- Nonstandard spelling of kěn.
- Nonstandard spelling of kèn.
Usage notes
- Transcriptions of Mandarin into the Latin script often do not distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without indication of tone.
Maranao
Etymology
From kan, compare Maranao kan.
Noun
ken
- food
Middle English
Etymology 1
From kennen.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /kɛn/
Noun
ken (uncountable)
- (Late Middle English, hapax) recognition
Descendants
- English: ken
- Yola: ken, kin
References
- “ken, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
Etymology 2
Noun
ken
- Alternative form of kyn
Mohawk
Particle
ken
- Question particle used in yes-or-no questions.
References
- Nora Deering, Helga H. Delisle (1976) Mohawk: A teaching grammar (preliminary version), Quebec: Manitou College, page 10
North Frisian
Alternative forms
- kön (Föhr-Amrum)
- koone (Mooring)
Etymology
From Proto-Germanic *kunnaną.
Verb
ken
- (Sylt) can, be able
Conjugation
Northern Kurdish
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /kɛn/
- Rhymes: -ɛn
Noun
ken m
- laugh
- smile
Old Frisian
Etymology
From Proto-West Germanic *kuni, from Proto-Germanic *kunją, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- (“to give birth”). Cognates include Old English cynn, Old Saxon kunni and Old Dutch cunni.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈken/
Noun
ken n
- kindred, kin
Descendants
- North Frisian: kinne, kenne
References
- Bremmer, Rolf H. (2009) An Introduction to Old Frisian: History, Grammar, Reader, Glossary, Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company, →ISBN
Old Javanese
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /kɛn/
- Rhymes: -kɛn
- Hyphenation: ken
Etymology 1
Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kain (“woman's skirt”).
Noun
ken
- garment worn around the lower part of the body
Alternative forms
- kain
Derived terms
Descendants
- > Javanese: ꦏꦺꦤ꧀ (kèn) (inherited)
Etymology 2
Particle
ken
- particle before a noun (categorical or proper) denoting a person of some rank
Derived terms
Descendants
- > Javanese: ꦏꦺꦤ꧀ (kèn) (inherited)
Further reading
- "ken" in P.J. Zoetmulder with the collaboration of S.O. Robson, Old Javanese-English Dictionary. 's-Gravenhage: M. Nijhoff, 1982.
Papiamentu
Alternative forms
- kende (synonym)
Etymology
From Portuguese quem and Spanish quien and Kabuverdianu ken.
Pronoun
ken
- who
Pennsylvania German
Alternative forms
- kee
Etymology
From Middle High German nechein, from Old High German nihein. Compare German kein, Dutch geen.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /kɛn/
Determiner
ken
- no; not a(n); not one; not any
Declension
Scots
Etymology
From Middle English kennen, from Old English cennan (“make known, declare, acknowledge”), originally "make to know", causative of cunnan (“to become acquainted with, to know”); from Proto-West Germanic *kannijan, from Proto-Germanic *kannijaną.
Noun
ken (uncountable)
- knowledge or perception
Verb
ken (third-person singular simple present kens, present participle kennin, simple past kent, past participle kent)
- (transitive) To know, perceive or understand.
- Do ye ken John Peel with his coat so gay? - 19th century Cumbrian ballad
Southern Sierra Miwok
Noun
ken
- no
Tok Pisin
Etymology
Inherited from English can, from Middle English can, from Old English cann, from Proto-West Germanic *kann.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈken/
Verb
ken
- (auxiliary) to be able to
- (auxiliary) to may, to be allowed
- (auxiliary) Expresses a wish.; may...
Further reading
- John W. M. Verhaar (1995) chapter 10, in Toward a reference grammar of Tok Pisin: An experiment in corpus linguistics, Honolulu: University of Hawai'i press, →ISBN, page 144
Veps
Etymology
From Proto-Finnic *ken.
Pronoun
ken (genitive kenen, partitive keda)
- who (interrogative)
Inflection
Derived terms
- ken-ni
- ken-se
- koje-ken
- niken
References
- Zajceva, N. G., Mullonen, M. I. (2007) “кто”, in Uz’ venä-vepsläine vajehnik / Novyj russko-vepsskij slovarʹ [New Russian–Veps Dictionary][11], Petrozavodsk: Periodika
Vietnamese
Pronunciation
- (Hà Nội) IPA(key): [kɛn˧˧]
- (Huế) IPA(key): [kɛŋ˧˧]
- (Saigon) IPA(key): [kɛŋ˧˧]
Adjective
ken
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Verb
ken
- This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text
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.
Yola
Alternative forms
- kin
Etymology
From Middle English ken.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /kɛn/, /kɪn/
Noun
ken
- ken
- regard, liking
References
- Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828) William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, published 1867, page 49
Zou
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ken˧/
Noun
ken
- wheel
References
- Lukram Himmat Singh (2013) A Descriptive Grammar of Zou, Canchipur: Manipur University, page 41