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• Kemp
  Kemp

  noun

  Jack F., 1935–2009, U.S. politician: congressman 1970–89.

kemp

¹ American  

[kemp] / kɛmp /

noun

1. British Dialect.

   1. a strong, brave warrior.

   2. an athlete, especially a champion.

   3. a professional fighter.

   4. an impetuous or roguish young man.

2. Scot. and North England. a contest, as between two athletes or two groups of workers, especially a reaping contest between farmworkers.

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verb (used without object)

1. Scot. and North England. to contest, fight, or strive, especially to strive in a reaping contest.

kemp ² American  

[kemp] / kɛmp /

noun

1. a short, coarse, brittle fiber, used chiefly in the manufacture of carpets.

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Kemp ³ American  

[kemp] / kɛmp /

noun

1. Jack F., 1935–2009, U.S. politician: congressman 1970–89.

2. a male given name.

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kemp British  

/ kɛmp /

noun

1. a coarse hair or strand of hair, esp one in a fleece that resists dyeing

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Other Word Forms

• kempy
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of kemp¹

before 900; Middle English kempe, Old English cempa; cognate with Old Frisian kempa, kampa, Middle Dutch, Middle Low German kemp ( e ), Old High German chemp ( i ) o; ultimately < West Germanic, perhaps through Latin campiō; see champion

Origin of kemp²

1350–1400; Middle English kempe coarse (said of hair); akin to Old English cenep mustache, bristly object, Old Norse kampr mustache, cat's whiskers

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Explanation

In sheep's wool, spiky, brittle fibers that don't hold dye very well are called kemp. Wool with a lot of kemp is less valuable — and itchier! Kemp is derived from the Old Norse kampr, "beard or whisker." These short, stiff fibers are remarkably similar to the coarse hair of a beard — not ideal for spinning into soft wool for a sweater or scarf. The fanciest types of wool, like Merino, have almost no kemp. The one place these fibers are seen as desirable is in tweed, where they help give the wooly fabric its distinctive flecks of color and pattern.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

kemp Kemp

"This type of fleece, which contains kemp," Bellis explains, "that will tend to go into a carpet blend because of the colour."

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

It is run over a carding wheel, or a large metal cylinder covered with small brads, which mix all the mohair and kemp.

From Practical Angora Goat Raising by

They were of medium size, and with the exception of the neck, tolerably well covered with fleece, which however had a scattering of kemp throughout.

From Practical Angora Goat Raising by

The worthy pedagogue, on inquiring for the queen of the kemp, as he styled her, was told that he might know her by the flowers in her hair.

From The Emigrants Of Ahadarra The Works of William Carleton, Volume Two by William Carleton

The coarse back will persist to some extent, and the hip will be plentifully covered with kemp.

From Practical Angora Goat Raising by

While the selloff could look like a bargain to some investors, Kemp said it’s important to distinguish between that and a discount.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 30, 2026

“A cheaper stock does not necessarily offer better value,” Dan Kemp, founder of investment consultancy Portfolio Thinking, told MarketWatch.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 30, 2026

“I was a little worried I wasn’t gonna get that done before I got out of office,” Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said in a news conference to discuss the project.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

They had little choice about their potential victims - in the end it was Jerry Hall and Ross Kemp who wandered in to join Maya and James A in deliberately tedious conversation.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

Kemp hadn’t the time in, but he was learning the basic rule.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

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