-cen

See also: cen, cen-, cén, cēn, and -cén

Latin

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ken/, [kɛn]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /t͡ʃen/, [t͡ʃɛn]

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, tībīcen, tubicen

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

   oscen, psalmicen, siticen

Declension

Third-declension noun.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	-cen	-cinēs
Genitive	-cinis	-cinum
Dative	-cinī	-cinibus
Accusative	-cinem	-cinēs
Ablative	-cine	-cinibus
Vocative	-cen	-cinēs

Derived terms

Latin terms suffixed with -cen

References

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

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Old English

Alternative forms

• -ċin

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *-ikīną, *-ukīną, equivalent to -uc + -en. More at -kin.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /t͡ʃen/

Suffix

-ċen

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

   tynċen ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   tiċċen ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   þyrnċin ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)

Descendants

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