Wordwyrt

vane

/ˈveɪn/VAYN
/ˈveɪn/VAYN

Meaninga small flag

Common meaning: device that shows wind direction

Journey through time

  1. Old Englishfana‘a small flag’sourceB&T
  2. Middle Englishfane‘weather vane’source
  3. Englishmeaning shiftsa small flag → device that shows wind directionvane‘device that shows wind direction’ · today

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 Old English fana ‘a small flag’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Skeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), entry VANE, p. 680 · dictionary scan

Roots

  • fana Old English “a small flag”

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