keen

keen · adjective, verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*ǵneh₃-“to know”
2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*kōniz“knowledgeable, skilful, experienced, clever, capable”
3. Old English · inherited fromcēne“keen, fierce, bold, brave, warlike, powerful; learned, clever, wise”
4. Middle English · inherited fromkene“bold, brave, sharp”
5. English todaykeen

From Middle English kene (“bold, brave, sharp”), from Old English cēne (“keen, fierce, bold, brave, warlike, powerful; learned, clever, wise”), from Proto-Germanic *kōniz (“knowledgeable, skilful, experienced, clever, capable”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- (“to know”). Cognate with Danish køn (“handsome, pretty”), Dutch kien (“smart, wise, able”), koen (“daring, valiant, doughty, courageous”), German kühn (“bold, daring, audacious, hardy, valiant, venturesome”), Icelandic kænn (“wise, crafty, clever, able”), Faroese kønur (“expert (in, on), experienced, skilful, able, capable”), Scots keen (“lively, brisk; avaricious”). Related to Old English cunnan (“to know how to, be able to”). More at cunning, can.

keen · noun, verb²

1. Irish · borrowed fromcaoin“to lament, keen”
2. English todaykeen

From Irish caoin (“to lament, keen”).

Words from the same roots