cynn
Old English
Etymology
From Proto-Germanic *kunją, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- (“to produce”). Cognate with Old Frisian kin, Old Saxon kunni, cunni, Dutch kunne, Old High German kunni, Old Norse kyn (Danish køn, Swedish kön), Gothic 𐌺𐌿𐌽𐌹 (kuni). The Indo-European root is also the source of Ancient Greek γένος (génos), Latin genus.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /kynn/
Noun
cynn n (nominative plural cynn)
- kin, kind, tribe, people
- (grammar) gender
- Ealdenglisċe naman wǣron þrēora cynna, þæt sind werlīċ and wīflīċ and nāðer.
- Old English nouns had three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter.
Declension
Declension of cynn (strong a-stem)
Case | Singular | Plural |
---|---|---|
nominative | cynn | cynn |
accusative | cynn | cynn |
genitive | cynnes | cynna |
dative | cynne | cynnum |
Derived terms
- fromcynn
Descendants
- Middle English: kin, kyn, ken, kun
- English: kin
- Scots: kin