neat; tidy; well-groomed
Origin of kempt
ME, combed: in mod. use, back-formation from unkempt
A well kempt kitchen.
The definition of kempt is someone or something which is neat and tidy.
An example of kempt used as an adjective is a kempt kitchen which is a clean kitchen.
YourDictionary definition and usage example. Copyright © 2018 by LoveToKnow Corp
Link to this page
Cite this page
MLA Style
"kempt." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 05 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/kempt>.
APA Style
kempt. (n.d.). Retrieved December 05th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/kempt
kempt
Webster's New World College Dictionary, Fifth Edition Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Link to this page
Cite this page
MLA Style
"kempt." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 05 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/kempt>.
APA Style
kempt. (n.d.). Retrieved December 05th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/kempt
kempt
adjective
Tidy; trim: a nicely kempt beard.
Origin of kempt
Back-formation from unkemptTHE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Link to this page
Cite this page
MLA Style
"kempt." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 05 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/kempt>.
APA Style
kempt. (n.d.). Retrieved December 05th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/kempt
Usage notes
Less common than unkempt. Often used in compound well-kempt or phrase “well kempt”, which may be criticized as redundant; compare well-groomed.
Origin
Originally a past participle of Old English cemban (“to comb”). Modern uses are back-formations from the negative unkempt.
English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.
Link to this page
Cite this page
MLA Style
"kempt." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 05 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/kempt>.
APA Style
kempt. (n.d.). Retrieved December 05th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/kempt
Sentence Examples
- Reconciling your desire to look stylish and collate a collection of clothes that will serve you well through your life's ups and downs with the need to look well kempt can often be challenging.