Etymology

mark of Cain

Today it means: A mark of divine protection imposed on Cain, a biblical figure, for murdering his brother Abel. Full definition →

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The story

* From: 1611, King James Version of the Bible, Genesis, 4:15 :* And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.