before vowels, ken-, word-forming element meaning "empty," from Greek kenos "empty," from PIE *ken- "empty."
Entries linking to keno-
cenotaph n.
"empty tomb erected in honor of a dead person who is buried elsewhere or whose body is lost," c. 1600, from French cénotaphe (16c.), from Latin cenotaphium, from Greek kenotaphion, from kenos "empty" (see keno-) + taphos "tomb, burial, funeral," related to taphē "interment," thaptō "to bury," which is of uncertain origin. It is traditionally derived (along with Armenian damban "tomb") from a PIE root *dhembh- "to dig, bury," but there are doubts, and Beekes writes, "Armenian and Greek could well be borrowings; IE origin is uncertain." Related: Cenotaphic.
kenosis n.
"self-limitation of God at the Annunciation," 1873, from Greek kenosis "an emptying," from kenoein "to empty," from kenos "empty" (see keno-). From Philippians ii:7. Related: Kenotic.