keen

¹

[ keen ]

adjective

, keen·er, keen·est.

1. finely sharpened, as an edge; so shaped as to cut or pierce substances readily:

   a keen razor.

   Antonyms: dull

2. sharp, piercing, or biting:

   a keen wind;

   keen satire.

   Synonyms: caustic, bitter, cutting

3. characterized by strength and distinctness of perception; extremely sensitive or responsive:

   keen eyes;

   keen ears.

   Synonyms: acute, penetrating, piercing

4. having or showing great mental penetration or acumen:

   keen reasoning;

   a keen mind.

   Synonyms: clever, shrewd, sagacious, astute, acute, discerning

   Antonyms: obtuse, dull

5. animated by or showing strong feeling or desire:

   keen competition.

6. intense, as feeling or desire:

   keen ambition;

   keen jealousy.

7. eager; interested; enthusiastic; (often followed by about, on, etc., or an infinitive):

   She is really keen on going swimming.

   Synonyms: fervid, earnest

8. Older Slang. great; wonderful; marvelous.

keen

²

[ keen ]

noun

1. a wailing lament for the dead.

verb (used without object)

1. to wail in lamentation for the dead.

verb (used with object)

1. to mourn for by or with such keening or wailing:

   keening his mother while kneeling at her grave.

keen

¹

/ kiːn /

verb

1. to lament the dead

noun

1. a dirge or lament for the dead

keen

²

/ kiːn /

adjective

1. eager or enthusiastic
2. postpositivefoll byon fond (of); devoted (to)

   keen on golf

   keen on a girl

3. intellectually acute

   a keen wit

4. (of sight, smell, hearing, etc) capable of recognizing fine distinctions
5. having a sharp cutting edge or point
6. extremely cold and penetrating

   a keen wind

7. intense or strong

   a keen desire

8. extremely low so as to be competitive

   keen prices

9. slang.
   very good

Derived Forms

• ˈkeener, noun
• ˈkeenness, noun
• ˈkeenly, adverb

Other Words From

• keen·ly adverb
• keen·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of keen¹

First recorded before 900; 1930–35 keen ¹fordef 8; Middle English kene, Old English cēne; cognate with German kühn, Old High German chuoni “bold,” Old Norse kœnn “wise, skillful”

Origin of keen²

First recorded in 1780–90 for the verb; from Irish caoin-, stem of caoinim “(I) lament”; noun derivative of the verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of keen¹

C19: from Irish Gaelic caoine, from Old Irish coīnim I wail

Origin of keen²

Old English cēne; related to Old High German kuoni brave, Old Norse koenn wise; see can ¹, know

Synonym Study

See sharp. See avid.

Example Sentences

The other thing Myles is keen to do when thinking about his future is to "keep making music I love".

From BBC

But she said that some things don't change - with retailers keen to conjure up a sense of cosiness and familiarity.

From BBC

This sometimes means investing in things like US stocks and shunning the UK investment which the government is keen on.

From BBC

I'm very keen to provide structures, governance structures, particularly that allow talented members to be able to shape the direction of the movement, and their voices to be not just heard but acted upon.

From BBC

Keen Slate readers might at this point raise the fact that I suggested in 2018 that Democrats nominate Beto O’Rourke for president for similar charisma-related reasons, only for him to flop in the ensuing primary.

From Slate

Related Words

• anxious
• ardent
• avid
• eager
• fervent
• fierce
• impatient
• intense