kenning
Say it: KEN-ing /ˈkɛnɪŋ/ · noun
What “kenning” means
A poetic nickname combining words, like 'whale-road' for the sea.
More precisely: A compound metaphor from Old English or Norse poetry, like 'whale-road' for the sea.
Example: “Calling his laptop a 'thought-box' is a modern kenning.”
When to use it
In discussions of Old English or Norse poetry, or when playfully inventing compact metaphorical names for familiar things.
Similar words
compound metaphor, poetic compound
Where it comes from
Old Norse kenna, 'to know, recognise'.
Quick check
In a poem inspired by Norse verse, you call the sea a 'whale-road' instead of naming it directly. That expression is…
a simile or a kenning?
Show the answer
a kenning
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