kern

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
kern1 Printing

▶noun a part of a metal type projecting beyond the body or shank, or a part of a printed character that overlaps its neighbours. ▶verb

• 1 provide (metal type or a printed character) with a kern.

• 2 (usu. as noun kerning) adjust the spacing between (printed characters).

– origin C17: perh. from Fr. carne ‘corner’, from L. cardo, cardin- ‘hinge’.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
kern2 (also kerne)

▶noun

• 1 historical a light-armed Irish foot soldier.

• 2 archaic a peasant or unsophisticated country person.

– origin ME: from Ir. ceithearn, from Old Ir. ceithern ‘band of foot soldiers’.