keen
1
[ keen ]
/ kin /
adjective, keen·er, keen·est.
Origin of keen
1
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
keen·ly, adverb keen·ness, nounWords nearby keen
keelie,
keeling islands,
keelless,
keelson,
keelung,
keen,
keen about, be,
keene,
keene's cement,
keener,
keening
Definition for keen (2 of 2)
keen
2
[ 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
2
1805–15; < Irish
caoine (noun),
caoin- (v., stem of
caoinim) lament
OTHER WORDS FROM keen
keen·er, nounExample sentences from the Web for keen
British Dictionary definitions for keen (1 of 2)
keen
1
/ (kiːn) /
adjective
Derived forms of keen
keenly, adverb keenness, 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)
keen
2
/ (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