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)

1. head
2. end

Descendants

• Irish: ceann
• Manx: kione
• Scottish Gaelic: ceann

Mutation

Middle Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Nasalization
cenn	chenn	cenn pronounced with /ɡ(ʲ)-/
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

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

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kʲen͈]

Noun

cenn n (genitive cinn, nominative plural cenna)

1. 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.

2. 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	cennN	cennN	cennL, cenna
Vocative	cennN	cennN	cennL, cenna
Accusative	cennN	cennN	cennL, cenna
Genitive	cinnL	cenn	cennN
Dative	ciunnL	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

Mutation

Old Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Nasalization
cenn	chenn	cenn pronounced with /ɡ(ʲ)-/
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

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