Ken appeared on the English horizon in the 16th century referring to the distance bounding the range of ordinary vision at sea (about 20 miles), and would thus have been familiar to skippers in particular. …

KEN definition: knowledge, understanding, or cognizance; mental perception. See examples of ken used in a sentence.

1. knowledge or understanding: an idea beyond one's ken. 2. range of sight or vision.

7 meanings: 1. range of knowledge or perception (esp in the phrases beyond or in one's ken) 2. Scottish and Northern England.... Click for more definitions.

Feb 1, 2026 · In common usage a fossil word, found only in phrases such as beyond one’s ken and swim into one’s ken.

Apr 21, 2025 · Explore the slang meaning of 'ken', its historical roots, and how it's used in contemporary communication. Understand its impact, statistics, and cultural significance in today's linguistic …

The noun ken means "range of vision or comprehension." If quantum mechanics is beyond your ken, you don't understand it, or it is beyond your scope of knowledge. Ken is rarely used today outside of …

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There are six meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun ken, two of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Definition of ken noun in Oxford Advanced American Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.