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

Mutation of cenn

radical	lenition	nasalization
cenn	chenn	cenn pronounced with /ɡ(ʲ)-/

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in Middle Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkʲen̪/

Etymology 1

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

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

Etymology 2

From Proto-Celtic *kennos. Cognate with Welsh cen (“scale”).

Noun

cenn f

1. skin, covering
2. shell (of an animal)
   • c. 845, St Gall Glosses on Priscian, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1975, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. II, pp. 49–224, Sg. 52^b2

     hua cheinn [translating a testa]

     from its shell

Usage notes

This word fell out of use in its simple form during the Old Irish period due to being a homophone with the word meaning "head". It is only attested in the St. Gall Priscian glosses, glossing Latin testa.

Inflection

Feminine ā-stem

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	cennL	ceinnL	cennaH
vocative	cennL	ceinnL	cennaH
accusative	ceinnN	ceinnL	cennaH
genitive	ceinneH	cennL	cennN
dative	ceinnL	cennaib	cennaib

Initial mutations of a following adjective:

• ^H = triggers aspiration
• ^L = triggers lenition
• ^N = triggers nasalization

Derived terms

• cenne

Descendants

• ⇒ Irish: scannán (“film”)

Mutation

Mutation of cenn

radical	lenition	nasalization
cenn	chenn	cenn pronounced with /ɡʲ-/

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in Old Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

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