Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

kemp

/kɛmp/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.43 in modern English

Syllables: kemp
IPA: /kɛmp/

12

Scrabble Score

4

Letters

1

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A coarse or bristly hair, whisker; (in the plural) knotty hairs that will not felt.

Countable; Obsolete; Uncountable

noun

Rough hair, wool, or fur.

Countable; Obsolete; Uncountable

adj

Obsolete

verb

To strive or contend in any way; strive for victory.

Intransitive verb; Obsolete

noun

A contest in work, etc.

Archaic

noun

A champion; a knight.

Obsolete

name

Countable; Uncountable

name

Countable; Uncountable

Etymology

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.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: kempe, cenep, *kanip, *kanipaz, *ǵénus, kempen

Usage

Inflected Forms

kemps (plural) camp (alternative, rare) more kemp (comparative) most kemp (superlative) kemps (present, singular) kemping (participle, present) kemped (participle, past) kemped (past)

Derived Forms

kemper

Phrases

kempery-man Kemp Town

Frequently Paired Words

kemper

Rhymes With

temp hemp kempe lemp schempp cemp klemp slemp rempe

Questions

How do you pronounce kemp?: The recorded pronunciation is /kɛmp/.
What does kemp mean?: A coarse or bristly hair, whisker; (in the plural) knotty hairs that will not felt.
Where does kemp come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce kemp

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “kemp”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/kɛmp/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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Repeat and practice — Say “kemp” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.