Latin

Etymology

From canō ‎(“I sing”, “I play [a musical instrument]”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ken/, [kẽ]

Suffix

-cen m ‎(genitive -cinis); third declension

1. appended to the names of musical instruments, forming agent nouns denoting the players thereof

   cicūticen, citharicen, cornicen, fidicen, liticen, lyricen, siticen, tībīcen, tubicen

2. (in a weakened sense) appended to various parts of speech, forming nouns denoting “singers” of whatever kind (human or not)

   oscen, psalmicen

Declension

Third declension.

Derived terms

References

• “-cen” on page 296/3 of the Oxford Latin Dictionary (1st ed., 1968–82)

Old English

Alternative forms

• -ċin

Suffix

-ċen n

1. Suffix forming diminutives from nouns, often displaying i-mutation

   tynċen

   tiċċen

   þyrnċin

Descendants

• Middle English: -chen; -kin, -ken (partially, especially in names)
  • English: -kin