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.

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

British Dialect.
  1. to have knowledge of something.
  2. to understand.

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.

Words related to ken

impression, concept, consciousness, insight, idea, attitude, comprehension, sight, sense, recognition, knowledge, acumen, awareness, picture, attention, understanding, judgment, apprehension, light, cognizance

Example sentences from the Web for ken

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