kel

See also: Appendix:Variations of "kel"

Cypriot Arabic

Root
'-k-l
4 terms

Etymology

Inherited from Arabic أَكَلَ (ʔakala).

Verb

kel I (present pkyakol)

1. to eat
2. to wear down

References

• Borg, Alexander (2004) A Comparative Glossary of Cypriot Maronite Arabic (Arabic–English) (Handbook of Oriental Studies; I.70), Leiden and Boston: Brill, page 142

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈkɛl]
• Hyphenation: kel
• Rhymes: -ɛl

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old Czech kel, from Proto-Slavic *kъlъ.

Noun

kel m inan

1. tusk

Declension

Declension of kel (hard masculine inanimate reducible)

	singular	plural
nominative	kel	kly
genitive	klu	klů
dative	klu	klům
accusative	kel	kly
vocative	kle	kly
locative	klu	klech
instrumental	klem	kly

Etymology 2

Related to older klí (“embryo, germ”).

Noun

kel m inan or f

1. (obsolete, botany) embryo, germ

   Synonyms: klíček, embryo, klík (obsolete), klíč (rare)

Declension

Declension of kel (hard masculine inanimate reducible)

	singular	plural
nominative	kel	kly
genitive	klu	klů
dative	klu	klům
accusative	kel	kly
vocative	kle	kly
locative	klu	klech
instrumental	klem	kly

Derived terms

• klíček

Further reading

• “kel”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “kel”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989
• “kel”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2025
• František Št. Kott (1878) “kel”, in Česko-německý slovník zvláště grammaticko-fraseologický (in Czech), Prague: Josef Kolář, page 684

Danish

Etymology

From German Kehle.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /keːl/, [kʰeːˀl]

Noun

kel c (singular definite kelen, plural indefinite kele)

1. hollow moulding, cavetto
2. valley

Inflection

Declension of kel

common gender	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	kel	kelen	kele	kelene
genitive	kels	kelens	keles	kelenes

Hungarian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈkɛl]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: kel
• Rhymes: -ɛl

Etymology 1

From Proto-Ugric *kälä-, possibly derived from Proto-Finno-Ugric *kälä- (“to ford”). Akin to Northern Mansi ква̄луӈкве (kvāluňkve, “to rise”).

Alternative forms

• kél (archaic, except in some phrases like lába kél)

Verb

kel

1. (obsolete) come and go, get about (to transport oneself from place to place)
3. (intransitive) to get up, rise (from sleep; occasionally more broadly from a lying or sitting position)

   Synonyms: felkel, feláll

4. (intransitive, of the sun or moon) to rise

   Synonym: felkel

5. (intransitive, of a seedling) to sprout, shoot, bud, germinate

   Synonyms: sarjad, kibújik

6. (intransitive, of a young bird or insect) to hatch (to be hatched)
7. (intransitive, cooking, of dough) to rise
8. (intransitive, figuratively, in expressions) to start, set off, take off

   Synonyms: kezd, indul, (in expressions) ered

9. (intransitive, figuratively, archaic or poetic) to rise, arise (chiefly of emotions, their outward expressions, or natural forces like wind)

   Synonyms: keletkezik, kezdődik, támad

10. (intransitive, marketing, chiefly after adverbs) to be sought-after, in demand

    Synonyms: kelendő, eladható, kapós, keresett, fogy

11. (intransitive, of a piece of writing) to be dated (only in the past tense)

    Synonyms: íródik, létrejön

Conjugation

Conjugation of kel

Click for archaic forms			1st person sg	2nd person sg informal	3rd person sg, 2nd p. sg formal	1st person pl	2nd person pl informal	3rd person pl, 2nd p. pl formal
indica­tive	indica­tive	pre­sent	indef.	kelek	kelsz	kel	kelünk	keltek	kelnek
			def.	intransitive verb, definite forms are not used
			2nd obj
		past	indef.	keltem	keltél	kelt	keltünk	keltetek	keltek
			def.	―
			2nd obj
		future		Future is expressed with a present-tense verb with a completion-marking prefix and/or a time adverb, or—more explicitly—with the infinitive plus the conjugated auxiliary verb fog, e.g. kelni fog.
archaic preterite		indef.	kelék	kelél	kele	kelénk	kelétek	kelének
		def.	―
		2nd obj
archaic past		Two additional past tenses: the present and the (current) past forms followed by vala (volt), e.g. kel vala, kelt vala/volt.
archaic future	indef.	kelendek	kelendesz	kelend	kelendünk	kelendetek	kelendenek
	def.	―
	2nd obj
condi­tional	pre­sent	indef.	kelnék	kelnél	kelne	kelnénk	kelnétek	kelnének
		def.	―
		2nd obj
	past		Indicative past forms followed by volna, e.g. kelt volna
sub­junc­tive	sub­junc­tive	pre­sent	indef.	keljek	kelj or keljél	keljen	keljünk	keljetek	keljenek
			def.	―
			2nd obj
(archaic) past		Indicative past forms followed by légyen, e.g. kelt légyen
infinitive	kelni		kelnem	kelned	kelnie	kelnünk	kelnetek	kelniük
other forms	verbal noun		present part.	past part.	future part.	adverbial participle		causative
	kelés		kelő	kelt	―	kelve (kelvén)

Potential conjugation of kel

Click for archaic forms			1st person sg	2nd person sg informal	3rd person sg, 2nd p. sg formal	1st person pl	2nd person pl informal	3rd person pl, 2nd p. pl formal
indica­tive	indica­tive	pre­sent	indef.	kelhetek	kelhetsz	kelhet	kelhetünk	kelhettek	kelhetnek
			def.	intransitive verb, definite forms are not used
			2nd obj
		past	indef.	kelhettem	kelhettél	kelhetett	kelhettünk	kelhettetek	kelhettek
			def.	―
			2nd obj
archaic preterite		indef.	kelheték	kelhetél	kelhete	kelheténk	kelhetétek	kelhetének
		def.	―
		2nd obj
archaic past		Two additional past tenses: the present and the (current) past forms followed by vala (volt), e.g. kelhet vala, kelhetett vala/volt.
archaic future	indef.	kelhetendek or kelandhatok	kelhetendesz or kelandhatsz	kelhetend or kelandhat	kelhetendünk or kelandhatunk	kelhetendetek or kelandhattok	kelhetendenek or kelandhatnak
	def.	―
	2nd obj
condi­tional	pre­sent	indef.	kelhetnék	kelhetnél	kelhetne	kelhetnénk	kelhetnétek	kelhetnének
		def.	―
		2nd obj
	past		Indicative past forms followed by volna, e.g. kelhetett volna
sub­junc­tive	sub­junc­tive	pre­sent	indef.	kelhessek	kelhess or kelhessél	kelhessen	kelhessünk	kelhessetek	kelhessenek
			def.	―
			2nd obj
(archaic) past		Indicative past forms followed by légyen, e.g. kelhetett légyen
infinitive	(kelhetni)		(kelhetnem)	(kelhetned)	(kelhetnie)	(kelhetnünk)	(kelhetnetek)	(kelhetniük)
other forms	positive adjective			negative adjective		adverbial participle
	―			―		(kelhetve / kelhetvén)

Derived terms

• kelendő
• keleszt
• keletkezik
• keletlen
• kelt
• költ

Compound words

• jár-kel

(With verbal prefixes):

• átkel
• egybekel
• elkel
• felkel
• kikel
• megkel
• összekel

Expressions

• birokra kel
• életre kel
• ki korán kel, aranyat lel
• lába kel
• szárnyra kel
• útra kel
• versenyre kel
• védelmére kel

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Bavarian Keel (“Savoy cabbage”), from Latin caulis (“stem, stalk, cabbage”).

Noun

kel (plural kelek)

2. Savoy cabbage

   Synonym: kelkáposzta

3. (in phrases and compounds) a type of Brassica (cabbage and similar plants), including kale, cauliflower, napa cabbage, and Brussels sprout

   Hyponyms: fodros kel, kínai kel

Declension

Inflection (stem in -e-, front unrounded harmony)

	singular	plural
nominative	kel	kelek
accusative	kelt	keleket
dative	kelnek	keleknek
instrumental	kellel	kelekkel
causal-final	kelért	kelekért
translative	kellé	kelekké
terminative	kelig	kelekig
essive-formal	kelként	kelekként
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	kelben	kelekben
superessive	kelen	keleken
adessive	kelnél	keleknél
illative	kelbe	kelekbe
sublative	kelre	kelekre
allative	kelhez	kelekhez
elative	kelből	kelekből
delative	kelről	kelekről
ablative	keltől	kelektől
non-attributive possessive – singular	kelé	keleké
non-attributive possessive – plural	keléi	kelekéi

Possessive forms of kel

possessor	single possession	multiple possessions
1st person sing.	kelem	keljeim
2nd person sing.	keled	keljeid
3rd person sing.	kelje	keljei
1st person plural	kelünk	keljeink
2nd person plural	keletek	keljeitek
3rd person plural	keljük	keljeik

Derived terms

• kelbimbó
• kelkáposzta
• kelvirág

Compound words

• bimbós kel
• fodros kel
• kínai kel

Further reading

• (to get up, to rise): kel in Géza Bárczi, László Országh, et al., editors, A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára [The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (ÉrtSz.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN.
• (Savoy cabbage): kel in Géza Bárczi, László Országh, et al., editors, A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára [The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (ÉrtSz.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN.

Kabuverdianu

Etymology

From Portuguese aquilo.

Pronoun

kel

1. that

Northern Kurdish

Noun

kel f

1. thing
2. heat

Old Czech

Alternative forms

• keł (alternative writing)

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *kъlъ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (13^th CE) /ˈkɛɫ/
• IPA^(key): (15^th CE) /ˈkɛl/

Noun

kel m inan

1. tusk
2. culm (?)

Declension

Declension of kel (hard o-stem reducible)

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	kel	kly	kli, klové
genitive	kla, klu	klú	klóv
dative	klu	kloma	klóm
accusative	kel	kly	kly
vocative	kle	kly	kli, klové
locative	kle, klu	klú	kléch
instrumental	klem	kloma	kly

This table shows the most common forms around the 13th century.
See also Appendix:Old Czech nouns and Appendix:Old Czech pronunciation.

Descendants

• Czech: kel

Further reading

• Jan Gebauer (1903–1916) “kel”, in Slovník staročeský (in Czech), Prague: Česká grafická společnost "unie", Česká akademie císaře Františka Josefa pro vědy, slovesnost a umění

Old French

Contraction

kel

1. contraction of ke le (that it)

Slovak

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kel]

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Bavarian Keel (“Savoy cabbage”), from Latin caulis (“stem, stalk, cabbage”).

Noun

kel m inan (relational adjective kelový)

1. savoy

Declension

Declension of kel (pattern dub)

	singular	plural
nominative	kel	kely
genitive	kelu	kelov
dative	kelu	kelom
accusative	kel	kely
locative	keli	keloch
instrumental	kelom	kelmi

Derived terms

• do kelu

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *kъlъ.

Noun

kel m inan (relational adjective klový)

1. tusk

Declension

Declension of kel (pattern stroj)

	singular	plural
nominative	kel	kle
genitive	kla	klov
dative	klu	klom
accusative	kel	kle
locative	kli	kloch
instrumental	klom	klami

Further reading

• “kel”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2003–2025

Sranan Tongo

Noun

kel

1. guy, dude
   • c. 1950, Sophie Redmond, “Datra Papa [A doctor's father]”, in Thea Doelwijt, editor, Kri, kra! Proza van Suriname [Kri, kra! Prose from Suriname]‎^[1], Paramaribo: Bureau Volkslectuur, published 1972, page 115:

     Nana: Misi libi mi nanga tori foe Frits p'pa; efi mi prakseri fa mi lasi na beste ten foe mi libi, nanga na kel.

     Nana: Madam, let me be with the matter of Frits's dad. If I just think about how I waisted the best years of my life with that guy...

   • 1985, Paul Marlee, Proefkonijn‎^[2], Paramaribo: Uitgeverij De Volksboekwinkel, →ISBN, page 99:

     ‘Blub, hik, sorry man, ei Arnie, pe y' ben de yongu, m' e suk' i no moer man; pe a meid Sastro de man, mi lob' a sma, yongu, wan f' den kel go vandoor nang' a sma k'ba natuurlijk. (...)’

     'Glub, hiccup, sorry, man, hey Arnie, where have you been, man, I've been looking all over for you; where's that girl Sastro, man, I love that girl, man, one of the guys already went off with her, obviously. (...)'

Descendants

• → Dutch: kill

Swedish

Etymology

Deverbal from kela

Noun

kel n

1. (colloquial) cuddling, petting

Declension

Declension of kel

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	kel	kels
	definite	kelet	kelets
plural	indefinite	—	—
	definite	—	—

References

• kel in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• kel in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• kel in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)

Turkish

Etymology

From Ottoman Turkish كل (kel, “bald”), from Persian کل (kal, “bald”). Cognate to kelle (“head”) and ultimately to Latin calvus (“bald”), Old English calu (“bald”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈcæl/

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

kel

1. bald

Declension

Declension of kel

singular plural nominative kel keller definite accusative keli kelleri dative kele kellere locative kelde kellerde ablative kelden kellerden genitive kelin kellerin Possessive forms nominative singular plural 1st singular kelim kellerim 2nd singular kelin kellerin 3rd singular keli kelleri 1st plural kelimiz kellerimiz 2nd plural keliniz kelleriniz 3rd plural kelleri kelleri definite accusative singular plural 1st singular kelimi kellerimi 2nd singular kelini kellerini 3rd singular kelini kellerini 1st plural kelimizi kellerimizi 2nd plural kelinizi kellerinizi 3rd plural kellerini kellerini dative singular plural 1st singular kelime kellerime 2nd singular keline kellerine 3rd singular keline kellerine 1st plural kelimize kellerimize 2nd plural kelinize kellerinize 3rd plural kellerine kellerine locative singular plural 1st singular kelimde kellerimde 2nd singular kelinde kellerinde 3rd singular kelinde kellerinde 1st plural kelimizde kellerimizde 2nd plural kelinizde kellerinizde 3rd plural kellerinde kellerinde ablative singular plural 1st singular kelimden kellerimden 2nd singular kelinden kellerinden 3rd singular kelinden kellerinden 1st plural kelimizden kellerimizden 2nd plural kelinizden kellerinizden 3rd plural kellerinden kellerinden genitive singular plural 1st singular kelimin kellerimin 2nd singular kelinin kellerinin 3rd singular kelinin kellerinin 1st plural kelimizin kellerimizin 2nd plural kelinizin kellerinizin 3rd plural kellerinin kellerinin

Synonyms

• dazlak

Related terms

• kelle
• kellik
• kelleşmek

Descendants

• → Romanian: chel

Uzbek

Other scripts

Yangi Imlo
Cyrillic	кел‍
Latin	kel‍
Perso-Arabic (Afghanistan)

Pronunciation

• (Uzbekistani standard) IPA^(key): /kɛl/, [k̟ɛl]
• (Khorazm dialect) IPA^(key): /ɡæl/
• Hyphenation: kel

Verb

kel

1. second-person singular informal imperative of kelmoq

Volapük

Etymology

Borrowed from French lequel (“which”).

Pronoun

kel

1. (relative) who
   • 1932, Arie de Jong, Leerboek der Wereldtaal, page 15:

     Utan, kel lugon, binon lugan.

     A person who lies is a liar.

2. (relative) which
   • 1932, Arie de Jong, Leerboek der Wereldtaal, page 15:

     Buk, keli elegivol obe, binon jönik.

     The book that you have given to me is beautiful.

   • 1938, “Pö yelacen”, in Volapükagased pro Nedänapükans, page 1:

     Volapük eprogedon nog no mödiko, e nog ai go no labülon pladi, kel demü patöfs sublimik okik duton lü on.

     Volapük has not yet made great progress, and is far from occupying the place it deserves due to its its superior qualities.

Declension

• Note: This word is declined to match the function it plays in its subordinate clause, not to match the declension of the noun it modifies.

Declension of kel

	singular	plural
nominative	kel	kels
genitive	kela	kelas
dative	kele	keles
accusative	keli	kelis

Wolof

Noun

kel (definite form kel gi)

1. Grewia bicolor

Yetfa

Noun

kel

1. water

References

• Cornelis L. Voorhoeve, Languages of Irian Jaya Checklist (1975, Canberra: Pacific Linguistics), page 122

Zou

Etymology 1

Kel (1).

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *keel, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *keel.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kel˧˩/

Noun

kèl

1. goat

Etymology 2

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *kal, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *g-la. Cognates include Khumi Chin ämäkei and Mizo kal.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kəl˧/

Noun

kel

1. kidney

Etymology 3

From Proto-Kuki-Chin *kaal.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kəl˧/

Verb

kel

1. (transitive) to climb

Derived terms

• ekel

References

• Lukram Himmat Singh (2013) A Descriptive Grammar of Zou, Canchipur: Manipur University, pages 40, 46, 81