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 camp, chin.

Noun

kemp (plural kemps)

1. (obsolete or dialectal) Coarse, rough hair, wool, or fur; (in the plural) knotty hairs that will not felt.

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

• kemper

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.

Related terms

• kemper

Anagrams

• MEKP

Kriol

Etymology

From English camp.

Noun

kemp

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

Middle English

Noun

kemp

1. Alternative form of kempe (“fish vat”)