Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Kent” come from?

Kent comes from Old English Cent, from Latin Cantium, from Proto-Celtic Cantio, ultimately from Proto-Celtic kantos.

Ancestry of “Kent”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishkenTo give birth, conceive, beget, be born; to...
2Middle Englishkenning—
3Middle Englishkennento beget, conceive ; to give birth to; to make...
4Old Englishcennanto make known, declare; to produce, bring forth,...
5Proto-West Germanickannjanto beget, bring forth
6Proto-Germanickanjanąto beget, bring forth
7Proto-Indo-Europeanǵonh₁éyeti—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanǵenh₁-to produce, to beget, to give birth

Words derived from “Kent”

  • Kentish
  • Kentville
  • Kent
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵenh₁- →