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Ken vs Kenneth - What's the difference?

ken | kenneth |

Kenneth is a related term of ken.



As proper nouns the difference between ken and kenneth

is that ken is a diminutive of the male given name Kenneth while Kenneth is a given name derived from Scottish Gaelic, originally used in Scotland, popular in all English-speaking countries in the 20th century.

As a noun ken

is knowledge or perception.

As a verb ken

is {{context|lang=en|transitive|mostly|Scotland}} To know, perceive or understand.

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 ----

    kenneth

    English

    Proper noun

    (en proper noun)
  • , originally used in Scotland, popular in all English-speaking countries in the 20th century.
  • * 1825 Sir Walter Scott: The Talisman . Chapter III:
    • Know, however, that among the soldiers of the Cross I am called Kenneth' - ' Kenneth of the Couching Leopard; at home I have other titles, but they would sound harsh in an Eastern ear.
  • * 1998 Barbara Vine ( Ruth Rendell ): The Chimney Sweeper's Boy . ISBN 0670879274 page 166:
    • "The other one , his name was Kenneth , was born in February nineteen twenty-one."
    "All these Kens," she said.
    "As you say. It must have been the sexy name. These days Kens are all Chinese cooks. - - -

    Related terms

    * Ken * Kenny

    References

    Patrick Hanks and Flavia Hodges: A Concise Dictionary of First Names. Oxford University Press 2001 ----