kam

Alternative forms

• kom — Kosovo

Etymology

Suppletive. The present, imperfect, and subjunctive are from Proto-Albanian *kapmi, from Proto-Indo-European *kap- (“to seize, to grasp”), cognate with Latin capiō (“take, seize”) and Proto-Germanic *habjaną (“to have, to hold”) (whence English have, German haben (“to have”), Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌱𐌰𐌽 (haban, “to have”)). The other tenses and participle are from Proto-Albanian *pat(i)-, from Proto-Indo-European *pótis (“owner, master, host, husband”), cognate with Latin potis (“able, capable”), Ancient Greek πόσις (pósis), Sanskrit पति (páti).^[1]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kam]

Verb

kam (aorist pata, participle pasur)

1. to have
2. (impersonal, third person) there is

References

Alternative forms

• kan, tam

Etymology

Inherited from Romani kham.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈkʰæm], [ˈcæm]

Noun

kam

1. sun

References

• “kam”, in Angloromani Dictionary‎, The Manchester Romani Project, 2004-2006, archived from the original on November 26, 2021, page 141

Etymology

Borrowed from Classical Persian کام.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [cam], [t͡ʃɑm]

Noun

kam (definite accusative kamı, plural kamlar)

1. wish, desire

   Synonyms: arzu, dilək, istək

2. pleasure

   Synonyms: ləzzət, zövq

Further reading

• “kam” in Obastan.com.

Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “related to 尷? related to English kam?”)

Etymology 2

Onomatopoeic.

Etymology

Inherited from Old Czech kamo, from Proto-Slavic *kamo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈkam]

• Audio:

  (file)

Adverb

kam

1. where, whither (to what place)

   Antonym: odkud

Further reading

• “kam”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “kam”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989
• “kam”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2025

Etymology

From Old Norse kambr, from Proto-Germanic *kambaz, Norwegian, Swedish kam, English comb, German Kamm. The Germanic noun goes back to Proto-Indo-European *ǵómbʰos (“tooth, peg”), which is also the source of Sanskrit: जम्भः (jámbhaḥ, “tooth”), Ancient Greek γόμφος (gómphos, “peg”), Polish ząb (“tooth”).

Noun

kam c (singular definite kammen, plural indefinite kamme)

1. comb
2. crest (of an animal)
3. loin, back (of a butchered animal)
4. ridge (of a mountain)

References

• “kam” in Den Danske Ordbog

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kɑm/
• Rhymes: -ɑm

• Audio:

  (file)

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch kamp, from Old Dutch *kamb, from Proto-West Germanic *kamb, from Proto-Germanic *kambaz (“comb”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵómbʰos (“tooth; row of teeth”).

Noun

kam m (plural kammen, diminutive kammetje n)

1. a comb, utensil to groom hair, fur etc.
2. (by extension) a ridge or comb-like structure

   De kam van de berg is bedekt met sneeuw. ― The ridge of the mountain is covered in snow.

3. (technical) a cam
4. a bridge (e.g. of a violin)

Derived terms

• bergkam
• cellokam
• haarkam
• hanenkam
• heuvelkam
• kamband
• kamblad
• kambuisje
• kamdoos
• kamdoublet
• kamdrager
• kamduiker
• kamduin
• kametui
• kamgaren
• kamgras
• kamhaak
• kamhoen
• kamhout
• kamkever
• kammeling
• kammen
• kammer
• kamneus
• kamoester
• kamplaat
• kamrad
• kamreep
• kamschede
• kamschelp
• kamsel
• kamslager
• kamvaren
• kamwiel
• over een kam scheren
• paardenkam
• roskam
• stofkam
• vioolkam

Descendants

• Afrikaans: kam
• Berbice Creole Dutch: kam
• Negerhollands: kam
• Skepi Creole Dutch: kam
• → English: cam
  • → Welsh: cam
• → French: came
  • → Romanian: camă
• → Italian: camma
• → Sranan Tongo: kankan, kam, kamm
  • → Aukan: kankan
  • → Saramaccan: kán

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Anagrams

• mak

Etymology

Borrowed from Assamese কাম (kam).

Noun

kam

1. work

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kaːm]

• Audio:

  (file)

Verb

kam

1. first/third-person singular preterite of kommen

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kám/
  • (Standard Kano Hausa) IPA^(key): [kám]

Ideophone

kam

1. firmly, tightly
2. adamant, insistent

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin quam. The initial qu was changed to k so as not to cause confusion with the word with quan.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kam/

Adverb

kam

1. than, as, to (in comparison)

   La karno esas plu fresha kam la fisho. ― The meat is fresher than the fish.

   Co esas tam utila kam to. ― This one is as useful as that one.

See also

• tam

Alternative forms

• kamiéń, kamiń

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *kamy.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkam/
• Rhymes: -am
• Syllabification: kam

Noun

kam m inan

1. stone (piece of rock that has been separated)

Further reading

• Stefan Ramułt (1893) “kam”, in Słownik języka pomorskiego czyli kaszubskiego (in Kashubian), page 66
• Sychta, Bernard (1968) “kam”, in Słownik gwar kaszubskich [Dictionary of Kashubian dialects] (in Polish), volumes 2 (H – L), Wrocław: Ossolineum, page 125
• Jan Trepczyk (1994) “kamień”, in Słownik polsko-kaszubski (in Kashubian), volumes 1–2
• Eùgeniusz Gòłąbk (2011) “kamień”, in Słownik Polsko-Kaszubski / Słowôrz Pòlskò-Kaszëbsczi‎
• “kam”, in Internetowi Słowôrz Kaszëbsczégò Jãzëka [Internet Dictionary of the Kashubian Language], Fundacja Kaszuby, 2022

Pronoun

kam

1. dative of kas

Pronoun

kam

1. dative of kas
2. (derogatory) (interrogative) why, for what reason, what's the reason (literally: who for)

   O kam tau to reikia?

   And why do you barely need this?

Etymology

From Armenian կամ (kam).^[1][2]

Noun

kam ?^[3]

1. threshing sledge, threshing board

   Synonyms: cencer, patoz

References

Etymology

From Old Norse kambr.

Noun

kam m (definite singular kammen, indefinite plural kammer, definite plural kammene)

1. a comb

References

• “kam” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Etymology

From Old Norse kambr. Akin to English comb.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kɑmː/

Noun

kam m (definite singular kammen, indefinite plural kammar, definite plural kammane)

1. a comb

References

• “kam” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Etymology

Borrowed from Urdu کم (kam), from Persian کم (kam).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kam/

Adjective

kam (invariable, Perso-Arabic spelling کم)

1. less
2. inferior

References

• Henrik Liljegren, Naseem Haider (2011) “kam”, in Palula Vocabulary (FLI Language and Culture Series; 7)‎, Islamabad, Pakistan: Forum for Language Initiatives, →ISBN

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *kamy.

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *kamo.

Alternative forms

• kamë, kamjeń

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *kamy.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkam/
• Rhymes: -am
• Syllabification: kam

Noun

kam m inan

1. stone (piece of rock that has been separated)

Further reading

• Lorentz, Friedrich (1908) “ką̃m”, in Slovinzisches Wörterbuch‎ (in German), volume 1, Saint Petersburg: ОРЯС ИАН, page 429

Romanization

kam

1. Romanization of 𒄰 (kam)

Etymology

From Old Swedish kamber, from Old Norse kambr,^[1] cognate with Danish kam^[1] and Dutch kam.

That in turn derived from Proto-Germanic *kambaz, whence also Old English camb (English comb), Old High German kamb (German Kamm).^[1] Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵómbʰos (“tooth (animate)”),^[1] whence also Ancient Greek γόμφος (gómphos, “peg”),^[1] Lithuanian žam̃bas, Old Church Slavonic зѫбъ (zǫbŭ, “tooth”), Russian зуб (zub, “tooth”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kam/, IPA^(key): [kʰam]

Noun

kam c

1. a comb for grooming hair
2. a comb, a fleshy growth on the top of the head of some birds and reptiles
3. a crest, summit of a hill or mountain ridge
4. a crest, ridge of a wave
5. a cam, a part of an engine

References

Anagrams

• mak

Etymology

Cognate with Persian کم (kam).

Adverb

kam

1. a few, a little

Etymology

From English come.

Noun

kam

1. come
   • 1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 1:2:

     Tudak i karamapim bikpela wara na spirit bilong God i go i kam antap long en.

     →New International Version translation

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ka˩̰/

Etymology 1

Etymology 2

References

• Heimbach, Ernest E. (1979) White Hmong — English Dictionary‎, SEAP Publications, →ISBN, page 75.

Pronoun

kam

1. you (plural)

Alternative forms

• kom

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /cam/

Pronoun

kam

1. who