fain

fain · adjective¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · inherited from*peḱ-“joyful; pretty”
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*faganaz“glad”
3. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*fagan“glad”
4. Old English · inherited fromfægen“happy, joyful, fain”
5. Middle English · inherited fromfain“enjoyable, pleasing; fond of; glad, pleased; good, suitable; happy, joyful”
6. English todayfain

From Middle English fain (“enjoyable, pleasing; fond of; glad, pleased; good, suitable; happy, joyful”), from Old English fægen (“happy, joyful, fain”), from Proto-West Germanic *fagan (“glad”), from Proto-Germanic *faganaz (“glad”), from Proto-Indo-European *peḱ- (“joyful; pretty”). Cognates * Old Norse fagna (“to rejoice”), feginn (“glad, joyful”) * Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌲𐌹𐌽𐍉𐌽 (faginōn, “to rejoice”) * Old High German fehan, gifehan (“to rejoice”) * Old Saxon fagan, fagin

fain · adverb²

1. Middle English · inherited fromfain“eagerly, willingly; gladly, joyfully”
2. English todayfain

From Middle English fain (“eagerly, willingly; gladly, joyfully”), from fain (adjective): see etymology 1.

fain · verb³

1. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*faginōną“to be glad, rejoice”
2. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*faginōn“to be glad, rejoice; to make glad, gladden”
3. Old English · inherited fromfæġnian“to be glad, rejoice; to celebrate; to be delighted with, applaud; to wish for”
4. Middle English · inherited fromfainen“to be glad or joyful, rejoice; to make happy, gladden; to welcome; of an animal: to show happiness, as by wagging the tail; to act fawningly or flatteringly”
5. English todayfain

From Middle English fainen (“to be glad or joyful, rejoice; to make happy, gladden; to welcome; of an animal: to show happiness, as by wagging the tail; to act fawningly or flatteringly”), from Old English fæġnian (“to be glad, rejoice; to celebrate; to be delighted with, applaud; to wish for”), from Proto-West Germanic *faginōn (“to be glad, rejoice; to make glad, gladden”), from Proto-Germanic *faginōną (“to be glad, rejoice”), from *faganaz (“glad”): see further at etymology 1. Doublet of fawn.

Fain · proper noun⁴

1. Vulgar Latin · derived from*fangus“mud, swamp”
2. Latin · derived fromfanum“temple”
3. English todayFain

* As a Jewish surname, variant of Fein. * As an English surname, variant of Fayne. * As a French surname, from placenames deriving from Latin fanum (“temple”) and Vulgar Latin *fangus (“mud, swamp”).

Words from the same roots