keen2

 
Pronunciation: /kiːn/

verb

[no object]
  • wail in grief for a dead person: the body of Johnny was taken by his own people who keened over him (as adjective keening) their keening womenfolk
  • (usually as noun keening) make an eerie wailing sound: the keening of the cold night wind

noun

  • an Irish funeral song accompanied by wailing in lamentation for the dead.

Derivatives

keener

noun

Origin:

mid 19th century: from Irish caoinim 'I wail'