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Ken vs Alien - What's the difference?

ken | alien |

As nouns the difference between ken and alien

is that ken is knowledge or perception while alien is a person, animal, plant, or other thing which is from outside the family, group, organization, or territory under consideration.

As verbs the difference between ken and alien

is that ken is {{context|lang=en|transitive|mostly|Scotland}} To know, perceive or understand while alien is to estrange; to alienate.

As a proper noun Ken

is a diminutive of the male given name Kenneth.

As an adjective alien is

pertaining to an alien.

ken

English

Etymology 1

Northern and Scottish dialects from (etyl) . The noun meaning “range of sight” is a nautical abbreviation of present participle kenning.

Noun

(-)
  • Knowledge or perception.
  • Range of sight.
    • Usage notes
    In common usage a (fossil word), found only in the phrase .
    Coordinate terms
    * (nautical range of sight) (l)
    Quotations
    * (English Citations of "ken")

    Verb

  • To know, perceive or understand.
  • To discover by sight; to catch sight of; to descry.
  • * 1662 Thomas Salusbury, Galileo's Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems (Dialogue 2):
    • I proposed to the Mariners, that it would be of great benefit in Navigation to make use of [the telescope] upon the round-top of a ship, to discover and kenne Vessels afar off.
  • * Addison
    • We ken them from afar.''
  • * Shakespeare
    • 'Tis he. I ken the manner of his gait.
    Quotations
    * (English Citations of "ken")
    Derived terms
    * beken * foreken * kenned * kenning * misken * underken * unkenned
    References
    * * * * *

    Etymology 2

    Perhaps from kennel.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (slang, UK, obsolete) A house, especially a den of thieves.
    • English irregular verbs ----

    alien

    English

    Alternative forms

    * alyaunte

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person, animal, plant, or other thing which is from outside the family, group, organization, or territory under consideration.
  • A foreigner residing in a country.
  • * 1773 , William Blackstone, Commentaries on the laws of England: in four books, Volume 1 (Fifth Edition) , page 372
    • An alien born may purchase lands, or other estates: but not for his own use; for the king is thereupon entitled to them.
  • * 1831 , John Marshall, Cherokee Nation v. Georgia , U.S. Government
    • The counsel have shown conclusively that they are not a state of the union, and have insisted that individually they are aliens , not owing allegiance to the United States.
  • * 2004 , Wesley Campbell, Stephen Court, Be a hero: the battle for mercy and social justice , Destiny Image Publishers, page 74
    • Aliens are aliens because of persecution or war or hardship or famine.
  • Any life form of extraterrestrial origin.
  • One excluded from certain privileges; one alienated or estranged.
  • * Bible, Ephes. ii. 12
    • Aliens from the common wealth of Israel.

    Synonyms

    * * See also

    Related terms

    * alienage * space alien

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Pertaining to an alien.
  • Not belonging to the same country, land, or government, or to the citizens or subjects thereof; foreign.
    • alien subjects, enemies, property, or shores
  • Very unfamiliar, strange, or removed.
    • principles alien to our religion
  • * Wordsworth
    • An alien sound of melancholy.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To estrange; to alienate.
  • (legal) To transfer the ownership of something.

    • Alternative forms

    * aliene

    Anagrams

    * English adjectives ending in -en ----