"-ken" meaning in Middle English

See -ken in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Suffix

IPA: /-kən/ Forms: -ke [alternative]
Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *-ukōną Proto-West Germanic *-ukōn Proto-Germanic *-ikōną Proto-West Germanic *-ikōn Old English -cian Middle English -ken Inherited from Old English -cian, from Proto-West Germanic *-ukōn or *-ikōn. Etymology templates: {{ety|enm|:inh|ang:-cian<ety:inh<gmw-pro:*-ukōn<ety:inh<gem-pro:*-ukōną>>><gmw-pro:*-ikōn<ety:inh<gem-pro:*-ikōną>>>>|id=frequentative|text=++|tree=1}} Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *-ukōną Proto-West Germanic *-ukōn Proto-Germanic *-ikōną Proto-West Germanic *-ikōn Old English -cian Middle English -ken [Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "lang_name" : "Proto-West Germanic", "term" : "*-ukōn", "status" : "inline", "lang" : "gmw-pro" }, { "children" : [ { "terms" : [ { "children" : [ ], "lang_name" : "Proto-Germanic", "term" : "*-ikōną", "status" : "missing", "lang" : "gem-pro" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "lang_name" : "Proto-West Germanic", "term" : "*-ikōn", "status" : "inline", "lang" : "gmw-pro" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "lang_name" : "Old English", "term" : "-cian", "status" : "inline", "lang" : "ang" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "Middle English", "term" : "-ken", "lang" : "enm" }" data-id="frequentative" data-lang="enm" data-title="-ken" id="Middle_English:_frequentative"> Inherited from Old English -cian, from Proto-West Germanic *-ukōn or *-ikōn. Head templates: {{head|enm|suffix|cat2=verb-forming suffixes|cat3=derivational suffixes}} -ken
  1. (no longer productive) Forms verbs with an frequentative or intensive force from nouns or other verbs. Tags: idiomatic, morpheme

Alternative forms

{
  "descendants": [
    {
      "descendants": [
        {
          "lang": "English",
          "lang_code": "en",
          "raw_tags": [
            "reshaped by analogy or addition of morphemes"
          ],
          "sense": "to jolt, work up and down",
          "tags": [
            "dialectal"
          ],
          "word": "jummock"
        }
      ],
      "lang": "English",
      "lang_code": "en",
      "word": "-k"
    },
    {
      "descendants": [
        {
          "lang": "English",
          "lang_code": "en",
          "raw_tags": [
            "reshaped by analogy or addition of morphemes"
          ],
          "sense": "to jolt, work up and down",
          "tags": [
            "dialectal"
          ],
          "word": "jummock"
        }
      ],
      "lang": "English",
      "lang_code": "en",
      "tags": [
        "dialectal"
      ],
      "word": "-ock"
    },
    {
      "lang": "Scots",
      "lang_code": "sco",
      "word": "-k"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "ang:-cian<ety:inh<gmw-pro:*-ukōn<ety:inh<gem-pro:*-ukōną>>><gmw-pro:*-ikōn<ety:inh<gem-pro:*-ikōną>>>>",
        "id": "frequentative",
        "text": "++",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Germanic *-ukōną\nProto-West Germanic *-ukōn\nProto-Germanic *-ikōną\nProto-West Germanic *-ikōn\nOld English -cian\nMiddle English -ken\n[Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-ukōn\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" }, { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-ikōną\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-ikōn\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"-cian\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"-ken\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" }\" data-id=\"frequentative\" data-lang=\"enm\" data-title=\"-ken\" id=\"Middle_English:_frequentative\">\nInherited from Old English -cian, from Proto-West Germanic *-ukōn or *-ikōn.",
      "name": "ety"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Etymology tree\nProto-Germanic *-ukōną\nProto-West Germanic *-ukōn\nProto-Germanic *-ikōną\nProto-West Germanic *-ikōn\nOld English -cian\nMiddle English -ken\nInherited from Old English -cian, from Proto-West Germanic *-ukōn or *-ikōn.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "-ke",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "suffix",
        "cat2": "verb-forming suffixes",
        "cat3": "derivational suffixes"
      },
      "expansion": "-ken",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "suffix",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with etymology texts",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with etymology trees",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with etymon",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages using catfix",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages using etymon with no ID",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 7 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with etymology trees",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with etymon",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "14 21 16 13 21 11 0 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 7 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "14 20 16 13 20 11 0 5",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Forms verbs with an frequentative or intensive force from nouns or other verbs."
      ],
      "id": "en--ken-enm-suffix-UlRwbfii",
      "links": [
        [
          "verb",
          "verb#English"
        ],
        [
          "frequentative",
          "frequentative#English"
        ],
        [
          "intensive",
          "intensive#English"
        ],
        [
          "noun",
          "noun#English"
        ],
        [
          "verb",
          "verb#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(no longer productive) Forms verbs with an frequentative or intensive force from nouns or other verbs."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic",
        "morpheme"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/-kən/"
    }
  ],
  "word": "-ken"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "Pages with 7 entries",
    "Pages with entries"
  ],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "descendants": [
        {
          "lang": "English",
          "lang_code": "en",
          "raw_tags": [
            "reshaped by analogy or addition of morphemes"
          ],
          "sense": "to jolt, work up and down",
          "tags": [
            "dialectal"
          ],
          "word": "jummock"
        }
      ],
      "lang": "English",
      "lang_code": "en",
      "word": "-k"
    },
    {
      "descendants": [
        {
          "lang": "English",
          "lang_code": "en",
          "raw_tags": [
            "reshaped by analogy or addition of morphemes"
          ],
          "sense": "to jolt, work up and down",
          "tags": [
            "dialectal"
          ],
          "word": "jummock"
        }
      ],
      "lang": "English",
      "lang_code": "en",
      "tags": [
        "dialectal"
      ],
      "word": "-ock"
    },
    {
      "lang": "Scots",
      "lang_code": "sco",
      "word": "-k"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "ang:-cian<ety:inh<gmw-pro:*-ukōn<ety:inh<gem-pro:*-ukōną>>><gmw-pro:*-ikōn<ety:inh<gem-pro:*-ikōną>>>>",
        "id": "frequentative",
        "text": "++",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Germanic *-ukōną\nProto-West Germanic *-ukōn\nProto-Germanic *-ikōną\nProto-West Germanic *-ikōn\nOld English -cian\nMiddle English -ken\n[Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-ukōn\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" }, { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-ikōną\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-ikōn\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"-cian\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"-ken\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" }\" data-id=\"frequentative\" data-lang=\"enm\" data-title=\"-ken\" id=\"Middle_English:_frequentative\">\nInherited from Old English -cian, from Proto-West Germanic *-ukōn or *-ikōn.",
      "name": "ety"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Etymology tree\nProto-Germanic *-ukōną\nProto-West Germanic *-ukōn\nProto-Germanic *-ikōną\nProto-West Germanic *-ikōn\nOld English -cian\nMiddle English -ken\nInherited from Old English -cian, from Proto-West Germanic *-ukōn or *-ikōn.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "-ke",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "suffix",
        "cat2": "verb-forming suffixes",
        "cat3": "derivational suffixes"
      },
      "expansion": "-ken",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "suffix",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "Middle English derivational suffixes",
        "Middle English entries with etymology texts",
        "Middle English entries with etymology trees",
        "Middle English entries with etymon",
        "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
        "Middle English lemmas",
        "Middle English suffixes",
        "Middle English terms derived from Old English",
        "Middle English terms derived from Proto-Germanic",
        "Middle English terms derived from Proto-West Germanic",
        "Middle English terms inherited from Old English",
        "Middle English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic",
        "Middle English terms inherited from Proto-West Germanic",
        "Middle English verb-forming suffixes",
        "Pages using catfix",
        "Pages using etymon with no ID",
        "Pages with 7 entries",
        "Pages with entries",
        "Pages with etymology trees",
        "Pages with etymon",
        "Pages with inline etymon for redlinks"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Forms verbs with an frequentative or intensive force from nouns or other verbs."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "verb",
          "verb#English"
        ],
        [
          "frequentative",
          "frequentative#English"
        ],
        [
          "intensive",
          "intensive#English"
        ],
        [
          "noun",
          "noun#English"
        ],
        [
          "verb",
          "verb#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(no longer productive) Forms verbs with an frequentative or intensive force from nouns or other verbs."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic",
        "morpheme"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/-kən/"
    }
  ],
  "word": "-ken"
}

Download raw JSONL data for -ken meaning in Middle English (4.0kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable Middle English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-07-09 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-07-06 using wiktextract (e62056b and e7887d5). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.