Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word
køn. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
køn, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
køn in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
køn you have here. The definition of the word
køn will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
køn, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Danish
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From Old Norse kyn (“kin”), from Proto-Germanic *kunją (“kin, descent”). Cognate with Swedish kön, Norwegian Bokmål kjønn, and English kin.
Noun
køn n (singular definite kønnet, plural indefinite køn)
- sex (the biological division in male and female individuals)
- gender (the social identity of male, female or other)
- (grammar) gender (division of nouns and adjectives etc. into classes)
- private parts, genitals
Usage notes
If a gender/sex distinction is desired, it must be introduced explicitly, through modifiers such as psykologisk (“psychological”), biologisk (“biological”) or tildelt (“assigned”).
Declension
Etymology 2
From Old Norse kœnn (“skilled, capable”), from Proto-Germanic *kōniz (“clever”). Cognate with English keen and German kühn (“daring”).
Adjective
køn
- pretty
- good-looking
- (ironic) nice, fine
- Det er da en køn situation du har rodet os ind i!
- What a fine situation you have gotten us tangled into!
2016, Bo Green Jensen, En afgrund af frihed, Gyldendal A/S, →ISBN:De var et kønt par egoister.- They were a fine pair of egoists.
- 2015, James Fenimore Cooper, Pionererne: eller Susquehannahs kilder, Klim →ISBN. Translated from English by Gerd Have.
“Det var da en køn sammensværgelse!- What a fine conspiracy!
- 2015, C. S. Lewis, Narnia 1 - Troldmandens nevø, Gyldendal A/S →ISBN. Translated from English by Niels Søndergaard.
»Det var da en køn redelighed for dem, hvis de ikke kunne komme tilbage!«- »That would be quite unfortunate for them, if they couldn't get back!«
2015, Carin Gerhardsen, Hendes iskolde øjne, Art People, →ISBN:“Du er da en køn mor. Ude at knalde rundt hele weekenden ...- “Some mother you are. Out fucking all weekend ...
Inflection
1 When an adjective is applied predicatively to something definite,
the corresponding "indefinite" form is used.
2 The "indefinite" superlatives may not be used attributively.
References