{"id":4101,"date":"2025-09-06T11:18:19","date_gmt":"2025-09-06T11:18:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?p=4101"},"modified":"2025-09-06T11:18:20","modified_gmt":"2025-09-06T11:18:20","slug":"adventures-in-etymology-unkempt-combs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?p=4101","title":{"rendered":"Adventures in Etymology &#8211; Unkempt Combs"},"content":{"rendered":"<div itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/AudioObject\"><meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"Adventures in Etymology &amp;#8211; Unkempt Combs\" \/><meta itemprop=\"uploadDate\" content=\"2025-09-06T11:18:19+00:00\" \/><meta itemprop=\"encodingFormat\" content=\"audio\/mpeg\" \/><meta itemprop=\"duration\" content=\"PT2M02S\" \/><meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"You can be unkempt, but can you be just kempt? Let's find out in this Adventure in Etymology on Radio Omniglot.\n\n\nAn unkempt llama\n\nUnkempt [\u02cc\u028cn\u02c8k\u025bmpt] means uncombed or dishevelled (hair), disorderly, untidy, messy, rough or unpolished.\n\nIt comes fr...\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/unkemptcombs.mp3\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2.6\" \/><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_5716\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-4101-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/unkemptcombs.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/unkemptcombs.mp3\">https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/unkemptcombs.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><\/div><p class=\"powerpress_links powerpress_links_mp3\" style=\"margin-bottom: 1px !important;\">Podcast: <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/unkemptcombs.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_pinw\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Play in new window\" onclick=\"return powerpress_pinw('https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?powerpress_pinw=4101-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play in new window<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/unkemptcombs.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"unkemptcombs.mp3\">Download<\/a><\/p><p>You can be <strong>unkempt<\/strong>, but can you be just <strong>kempt<\/strong>? Let&#8217;s find out in this Adventure in Etymology on Radio Omniglot.<\/p>\n<p><a data-flickr-embed=\"true\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/29261037@N02\/10256617184\/in\/photolist-HACXL5-2mFUQaP-ryYvQb-TgwDga-2kPnh1a-QzU2-2mFmxmM-eBmnEq-Paogtw-2nLg1YP-2g8dSf6-4Ai6wu-2jkuP9N-4vZap7-2jKPxiV-2nNiZBg-2kr15dA-GweP2s-2mPto5t-27QvL4h-avvJE1-2qCCDxa-gqzs8h-gCkQXj-hFVyXD-2ovtDH3-QyGGDX-9vKtS2-UHEgcu-2jUJZLD-2hd2ESX-9ZPjdz-2ezCCbd-2pVujBi-vrXje-ne5HD-22Sc6w-2ovqHMH-AmHeHW-2jmRZ7C-2g8dNmA-244AR35-2iZpHmb-GPhvWx-3QQjGP-2mFF7Zd-2qEGdqU-objxkW-bZRus-EWvbF3\" title=\"Llama, Unkempt\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/5534\/10256617184_19a12863be_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" alt=\"Llama, Unkempt\"\/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<em>An unkempt llama<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Unkempt<\/strong> [\u02cc\u028cn\u02c8k\u025bmpt] means uncombed or dishevelled (hair), disorderly, untidy, messy, rough or unpolished.<\/p>\n<p>It comes from <strong>unkemmed<\/strong>, from Middle English <em>kembed<\/em> (well-combed, neat), from <em>kemben<\/em> [\u02c8k\u025bm(b)\u0259n] (to comb), from Old English <em>cemben<\/em> [\u02c8kem.b\u0251n] (to comb), from Proto-West Germanic <em>*kambijan<\/em> (to comb), from Proto-Germanic <em>*kambijan\u0105<\/em> (to comb), from <em>*kambaz<\/em> (comb) from Proto-Indo-European <em>*\u01f5\u00f3mb\u02b0os<\/em> (tooth, peg), from <em>*\u01f5emb\u02b0-<\/em> (to bite, chomp) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/unkempt\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p><a data-flickr-embed=\"true\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/mrfink\/3413209993\/in\/photolist-6cBAqa-9xbXz-eFqUwe-2pNhhb2-x2uNNw-dM2Jfm-2qiCTac-jnBUq-yrvDMU-bu1afQ-4qZYJT-CcPuv-766uVW-2zDdXG-6yFLgL-4r53yQ-36SGG-PA3LJv-4Xebek-4jNCg9-2cYXQuj-r5dx4Q-oA3kc-aubqdf-CcNoU-2mEMntP-rGTLYT-s29WFV-s29WMB-rYVFF7-2h3J4RB-6bmYmn-bu1aos-2ndXc3W-bGUXQK-bGUXUp-2jMZsTt-xmrL22-2hyWrJK-5RtFnS-YnAdKi-fGiU-2mAP2su-nCJKV-2mQ1q1G-bu1apy-pyXRQ-A8a54G-7pJPKz-ajCsuK\" title=\"combs\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/3537\/3413209993_d96f617354_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" alt=\"combs\"\/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<em>Combs<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Words from the same roots possibly include <strong>dh\u00ebmb<\/strong> (tooth) in Albanian, <strong>zub<\/strong> (tooth) in Slovak, <strong>kampa<\/strong> (comb) and <strong>hammas<\/strong> (tooth, cog, sprocket) in Finnish, <strong>kam<\/strong> (comb, ridge) in Dutch, and <strong>comb<\/strong> in English [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European\/%C7%B5emb%CA%B0-\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>The word <strong>kempt<\/strong> does exist in English and means neat and tidy, especially when talking about hair. These days it is usually used humorously, but it was more commonly used in the past [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/kempt#English\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p><a data-flickr-embed=\"true\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/74632166@N04\/9104907094\/in\/photolist-eSz2EN-bXtHLE-KD7LzR-2oeiTpH-4JpfGx-7apBpy-4wpGh-2ocVk3E-27jErQJ-2obVqRk-2kH7Ky9-c321vL-2nZkbt6-qWd55b-s3rwKL-jNxW93-6716BP-PUBVjk-2j51BDu-2qKXT7q-2wSftF-2mk1y6k-bzW314-kNmhN-byWSn9-2nLS6X2-2jdgk9p-81sBRt-nh7L9y-9VuF6q-9eExWb-8vU6nW-2onS8XQ-CzWukc-4qKL7Y-2iLQno2-ivaf1a-BHVfyD-2o6NPqa-2owdfdu-abGfp9-8pJxdd-5QR7h5-LeqaNw-5ub7WN-6Z5mpF-fuejSE-6Z5xzv-9hWwQ5-6Z5m4k\" title=\"Camshaft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/7425\/9104907094_feaee8cac2_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" alt=\"Camshaft\"\/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<em>A camshaft<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Incidentally, the English word <strong>cam<\/strong>, as in <strong>camshaft<\/strong>, <strong>camwheel<\/strong>, etc, comes from the same roots, via Dutch <strong>kam<\/strong> (comb, ridge). The Dutch word was also borrowed into French as <strong>came<\/strong> (cam, stuff, trinket), Italian as <strong>camma<\/strong> (cam), and into other languages [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/kam#Dutch\">source<\/a>]<\/p>\n<p>If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/uk\/cgi-bin\/webscr?cmd=_flow&amp;SESSION=aLjPfXL-vP_1gQ_U23Iz8_hSWLlhzLHPMFZrt32dIEfG8htoNFLYaPoWkv8&amp;dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1f8e263663d3faee8def8934b92a630e40b7fef61ab7e9fe63\">PayPal<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/omniglot\">Patreon<\/a>, or <a href=\"http:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/donations.htm\">contribute to Omniglot in other ways<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Radio Omniglot podcasts are brought to you in association with <a href=\"https:\/\/blubrry.com\/services\/podcast-hosting\/?code=omniglot\">Blubrry Podcast Hosting<\/a>, a great place to host your podcasts. Get your first month free with the promo code <strong>omniglot<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.japanesepod101.com\/member\/go.php?r=759259&amp;i=b0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/images\/banners\/banner_japanesepod.jpg\" alt=\"The Fastest Way to Learn Japanese Guaranteed with JapanesePod101.com\" width=\"630\" height=\"83\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/\">Omniglot Blog<\/a>, and I explore etymological connections between Celtic languages on the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/\">Celtiadur<\/a> blog.<\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-5001128073855040\"\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<!-- Blog horizontal --><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n     style=\"display:block\"\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-5001128073855040\"\n     data-ad-slot=\"1685480124\"\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/AudioObject\"><meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"Adventures in Etymology &amp;#8211; Unkempt Combs\" \/><meta itemprop=\"uploadDate\" content=\"2025-09-06T11:18:19+00:00\" \/><meta itemprop=\"encodingFormat\" content=\"audio\/mpeg\" \/><meta itemprop=\"duration\" content=\"PT2M02S\" \/><meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"You can be unkempt, but can you be just kempt? Let's find out in this Adventure in Etymology on Radio Omniglot.\n\n\nAn unkempt llama\n\nUnkempt [\u02cc\u028cn\u02c8k\u025bmpt] means uncombed or dishevelled (hair), disorderly, untidy, messy, rough or unpolished.\n\nIt comes fr...\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/unkemptcombs.mp3\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2.6\" \/><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_5717\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-4101-2\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/unkemptcombs.mp3?_=2\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/unkemptcombs.mp3\">https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/unkemptcombs.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><\/div><p class=\"powerpress_links powerpress_links_mp3\" style=\"margin-bottom: 1px !important;\">Podcast: <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/unkemptcombs.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_pinw\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Play in new window\" onclick=\"return powerpress_pinw('https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?powerpress_pinw=4101-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play in new window<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/unkemptcombs.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"unkemptcombs.mp3\">Download<\/a><\/p><p>You can be unkempt, but can you be just kempt? Let&#8217;s find out in this Adventure in Etymology on Radio Omniglot. An unkempt llama Unkempt [\u02cc\u028cn\u02c8k\u025bmpt] means uncombed or dishevelled (hair), disorderly, untidy, messy, rough or unpolished. It comes from unkemmed, from Middle English kembed (well-combed, neat), from kemben [\u02c8k\u025bm(b)\u0259n] (to comb), from Old English [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[98,126,47,20,56,125,23,12,4,58,11,55,1,57,59,119,72],"tags":[314,312,313,90,311,9,15,88,8,310,103],"class_list":["post-4101","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventures-in-etymology","category-albanian-shqip","category-dutch","category-english","category-etymology","category-finnish-suomi","category-french","category-italian","category-language","category-middle-english","category-music","category-old-english-aenglisc","category-podcast","category-proto-germanic","category-proto-indo-european","category-proto-west-germanic","category-slovak-slovencina","tag-cam","tag-comb","tag-combed","tag-etymology","tag-kempt","tag-language","tag-music","tag-omniglot","tag-podcast","tag-unkempt","tag-words"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4101","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4101"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4101\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4103,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4101\/revisions\/4103"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4101"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4101"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4101"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}