Wordwyrt

vain

/ˈveɪn/VAYN
/ˈveɪn/VAYN

Meaningempty

Common meaning: proud of looks

Other meanings: useless

Journey through time

  1. Latinvānus, -a, -um‘empty, hollow’
  2. Frenchvain
  3. Middle Englishvainsource
  4. Englishmeaning shiftsempty, hollow → proud of looksvain‘proud of looks’ · today

vain also in: vanishvanity

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin vānus ‘empty, hollow; without substance’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry vānus, p. 1957 · dictionary scan

Roots

Related words

vanishvanity

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