kemp

See also: Kemp

English

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /kɛmp/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛmp

Etymology 1

From Middle English kempe (coarse hairs), from Old English cenep (moustache; bit (of a bridle, bristling with points)), from Proto-West Germanic *kanip, from Proto-Germanic *kanipaz (beard, moustache, whiskers), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵénus (jaw). Related to chin.

Alternative forms

Noun

kemp (countable and uncountable, plural kemps)

  1. (dialectal or obsolete) A coarse or bristly hair, whisker; (in the plural) knotty hairs that will not felt.
  2. (dialectal or obsolete) Rough hair, wool, or fur.

Etymology 2

From Middle English kempe, campe (shaggy, rough).

Adjective

kemp (comparative more kemp, superlative most kemp)

  1. (obsolete) Shaggy; rough.

Etymology 3

From Middle English kempen, from Old English *cempan (to do battle, fight), from Proto-West Germanic *kampijan (to campaign, do battle), ultimately from Latin campus.

Verb

kemp (third-person singular simple present kemps, present participle kemping, simple past and past participle kemped)

  1. (intransitive, obsolete) To strive or contend in any way; strive for victory.
Derived terms

Noun

kemp (plural kemps)

  1. (Scotland, archaic) A contest in work, etc.

Etymology 4

From Middle English kempe, from Old English cempa (warrior, fighter, champion), from Proto-West Germanic *kampijō (fighter), ultimately from Latin campus. Doublet of champion. Cognate with literary German Kämpe (champion, fighter), German Kempf.

Noun

kemp (plural kemps)

  1. (obsolete) A champion; a knight.
Derived terms

Anagrams

Australian Kriol

Etymology

From English camp.

Noun

kemp

  1. camp; home (the place where one lives)

Czech

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ˈkɛmp]

Noun

kemp m inan

  1. campsite, camp

Declension

Middle English

Noun

kemp

  1. alternative form of kempe (fish vat)