cenn

Middle Irish

Alternative forms

cend

Etymology

From Old Irish cenn, from Proto-Celtic *kʷennom.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /kʲen͈/

Noun

cenn m (genitive cinn, plural cenna or cinn)

head
end

Descendants

Irish: ceann
Manx: kione
Scottish Gaelic: ceann

Mutation

Mutation of *cenn*
radical	lenition	nasalization
cenn	chenn	cenn pronounced with /ɡ(ʲ)-/

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in Middle Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

References

Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “1 cenn”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

Old Irish

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [kʲen͈]

Etymology 1

From Proto-Celtic *kʷennom, whence also conn (“leader”). Compare Welsh pen, Breton penn.

Noun

cenn n (genitive cinn, nominative plural cenna)

head
- c. 800–825, Diarmait, Milan Glosses on the Psalms, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1987, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. I, pp. 7–483, Ml. 89^c11
  Mani ro{i}ma fora cenn, ní mema forsna bullu.
  If their head is not defeated, the members will not be defeated.
end
- c. 800–825, Diarmait, Milan Glosses on the Psalms, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1987, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. I, pp. 7–483, Ml. 74^c20
  Húare ro·comallada inna imneda ⁊ fo·ruirmed cenn forsnaib cotarsnaib du·rairngirt-siu, is fíri{ri}én trá fuä n-indas sin tabart díglae foraibsom.
  Because the troubles have been fulfilled, and an end has been put to the adversities that you sg have promised, it is just, then, to inflict vengeance on them in that way.

Inflection

Neuter o-stem
	singular	dual	plural
nominative	cenn^N	cenn^N	cenn^L, cenna
vocative	cenn^N	cenn^N	cenn^L, cenna
accusative	cenn^N	cenn^N	cenn^L, cenna
genitive	cinn^L	cenn	cenn^N
dative	ciunn^L	cennaib	cennaib

Initial mutations of a following adjective:

^H = triggers aspiration
^L = triggers lenition
^N = triggers nasalization

Derived terms

forcenn
fo·ruimi cenn for (“to put an end to”)
tar cenn

Descendants

Middle Irish: cenn
- Irish: ceann
- Manx: kione
- Scottish Gaelic: ceann

Etymology 2

From Proto-Celtic *kennos. Cognate with Welsh cen (“scale”).

Noun

cenn f

skin, covering
shell (of an animal)
- c. 845, St Gall Glosses on Priscian, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1975, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. II, pp. 49–224, Sg. 52^b2
  hua cheinn [translating a testa]
  from its shell

Usage notes

This word fell out of use in its simple form during the Old Irish period due to being a homophone with the word meaning "head". It is only attested in the St. Gall Priscian glosses, glossing Latin testa.

Inflection

Feminine ā-stem
	singular	dual	plural
nominative	cenn^L	ceinn^L	cenna^H
vocative	cenn^L	ceinn^L	cenna^H
accusative	ceinn^N	ceinn^L	cenna^H
genitive	ceinne^H	cenn^L	cenn^N
dative	ceinn^L	cennaib	cennaib

Initial mutations of a following adjective:

^H = triggers aspiration
^L = triggers lenition
^N = triggers nasalization

Derived terms

cenne

Descendants

⇒ Irish: scannán (“film”)

Mutation

Mutation of *cenn*
radical	lenition	nasalization
cenn	chenn	cenn pronounced with /ɡʲ-/

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in Old Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Middle Irish

Alternative forms

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Descendants

Mutation

References

Old Irish

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Noun

Inflection

Derived terms

Descendants

Etymology 2

Noun

Usage notes

Inflection

Derived terms

Descendants

Mutation

Further reading