ken

[ ken ]

/ kɛn /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR ken ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

knowledge, understanding, or cognizance; mental perception: an idea beyond one's ken.

range of sight or vision.

verb (used with object), kenned or kent, ken·ning.

Chiefly Scot.

to know, have knowledge of or about, or be acquainted with (a person or thing).
to understand or perceive (an idea or situation).

Scots Law. to acknowledge as heir; recognize by a judicial act.

Archaic. to see; descry; recognize.

British Dialect Archaic.

to declare, acknowledge, or confess (something).
to teach, direct, or guide (someone).

verb (used without object), kenned or kent, ken·ning.

British Dialect.

to have knowledge of something.
to understand.

QUIZZES

Can You Ace This Quiz About “Compliment” vs. “Complement”?

Take this quiz to see if you really know the difference between “compliment” and “complement"!

Question 1 of 11

“Compliment” and “complement” had a shared meaning a long time ago, but today they are no longer interchangeable.

True

False

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of ken

before 900; Middle English kennen to make known, see, know, Old English cennan to make known, declare; cognate with Old Norse kenna, German kennen; akin to can¹

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH ken

ken kin

Words nearby ken

kemijoki, kemp, kempe, kempis, kempt, ken, ken., kenaf, kenbei, kench, kendal

Definition for ken (2 of 3)

Ken

[ ken ]

/ kɛn /

noun

a male given name, form of Kendall or Kenneth.

Definition for ken (3 of 3)

Ken.

Kentucky.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for ken

Brooklyn district attorney Ken Thompson explained his decision to impanel a grand jury in a statement released Friday.
New York's Next Killer-Cop Grand Jury|Jacob Siegel|December 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
You have mentioned in interview that Dale Eaglesham and Ken Lashley are joining you on the new Secret Six.
Gail Simone’s Bisexual Catman and the ‘Secret Six’|Rich Goldstein|December 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
So the plan is for Ken to draw an arc with Dale doing covers, and then Dale does an arc with Ken doing covers.
Gail Simone’s Bisexual Catman and the ‘Secret Six’|Rich Goldstein|December 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In 1978, for instance, Hockney was introduced to a new printing method by the famed printer Ken Tyler.
The Many Lives of Artist David Hockney|William O’Connor|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Ken Russell, the now sadly deceased British film director, told me he considered Jarman a visionary.
The Queer Genius of Film Director Derek Jarman|Tim Teeman|November 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Say, Joe,” he said, “mebbe this guy ken put us wise to things.
The Twins of Suffering Creek|Ridgwell Cullum
But, Davey, if in the future anything should disclose the truth, might Ken not resent?
The Shield of Silence|Harriet T. Comstock
All the same Ken was not blind to Weir's handsome appearance.
The Young Pitcher|Zane Grey
Trouble I knew she must have suffered on Ken's Island; but this was a story beyond all imagination.
The House Under the Sea|Sir Max Pemberton
Can there be question that to it Ken is indebted for some of the thoughts and expressions in two of his own hymns?
Notes and Queries, Number 192, July 2, 1853|Various

British Dictionary definitions for ken (1 of 2)

ken

/ (kɛn) /

noun

range of knowledge or perception (esp in the phrases beyond or in one's ken)

verb kens, kenning, kenned or kent (kɛnt)

Scot and Northern English dialect to know

Scot and Northern English dialect to understand; perceive

(tr) archaic to see

Word Origin for ken

Old English cennan; related to Old Norse kenna to perceive, Old High German kennen to make known; see can 1

British Dictionary definitions for ken (2 of 2)

Ken.

abbreviation for

Kentucky

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

ken

noun

verb (used with object), kenned or kent, ken·ning.

verb (used without object), kenned or kent, ken·ning.

QUIZZES

Origin of ken

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH ken

Words nearby ken

Definition for ken (2 of 3)

noun

Definition for ken (3 of 3)

Words related to ken

Example sentences from the Web for ken

British Dictionary definitions for ken (1 of 2)

noun

verb kens, kenning, kenned or kent (kɛnt)

Word Origin for ken

British Dictionary definitions for ken (2 of 2)

abbreviation for