keen
1[ keen ]
/ kin /
adjective, keen·er, keen·est.
SYNONYMS FOR keen
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Origin of keen
1First recorded before 900; 1930–35 for def. 8; Middle English kene, Old English cēne; cognate with German kühn, Old High German chuoni bold, Old Norse kœnn “wise, skillful”
OTHER WORDS FROM keen
keenly, adverbkeenness, nounDefinition for keen (2 of 2)
keen2
[ keen ]
/ kin /
noun
a wailing lament for the dead.
verb (used without object)
to wail in lamentation for the dead.
verb (used with object)
to mourn for by or with such keening or wailing: keening his mother while kneeling at her grave.
Origin of keen
21805–15; <Irish caoine (noun), caoin- (v., stem of caoinim) lament
OTHER WORDS FROM keen
keener, nounDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for keen
British Dictionary definitions for keen (1 of 2)
keen1
/ (kiːn) /
adjective
Derived forms of keen
keenly, adverbkeenness, nounWord Origin for keen
Old English cēne; related to Old High German kuoni brave, Old Norse koenn wise; see can 1, know
British Dictionary definitions for keen (2 of 2)
keen2
/ (kiːn) /
verb (intr)
to lament the dead
noun
a dirge or lament for the dead
Derived forms of keen
keener, nounWord Origin for keen
C19: from Irish Gaelic caoine, from Old Irish coīnim I wail
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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