sain

S1A1I1N1
/seɪn/

verb

To make the sign of the cross on or over something or someone.

“Sain usǃ Sain us, oh Godǃ.”

OriginMiddle English sainen ← Old English sēnian ← Proto-Germanic *segnōną →
Less commonScrabble 4
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Meanings

sain1

verbsain (third-person singular simple present sains, present participle saining, simple past and past participle sained)

present singular third person sains · participle present saining · participle past sained · past sained

  1. archaictransitiveTo make the sign of the cross on or over something or someone.

    Saining is the grand protection against them; a Shetlander always sains himself when passing by their hills.

    1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, volume I, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 261
  2. intransitiveobsolete except in ScotsTo make the sign of the cross.
  3. archaictransitiveTo bless, to keep from evil influence.

    Sain usǃ Sain us, oh Godǃ.

    2 more examples

    Far from my speech stands he who sains and saves.

    1889, “Agamemnon”, in Edmund Doidge Anderson Morshead, transl., The House of Atreus, 2nd edition, page 57

    The child was sained then. Fir candles were lighted and whirled round the bed in which mother and infant lay.

    1983, Robert Nye, The Facts of Life

Sain2

proper nounSain (plural Sains)

plural Sains

  1. A surname.

Origin

  1. Latinsignō
  2. Proto-Germanic*segnōną“to mark with a cross, bless”
  3. Old Englishsēnian
  4. Middle Englishsainen
  5. Englishsain

From Middle English sainen, seinen, senen, sinen, signen, from Old English sēnian, seġnian, from Proto-Germanic *segnōną (“to mark with a cross, bless”), from Latin signō, from signum. Cognate with Dutch zegenen (“to bless”), German segnen (“to bless”), Irish séan (“sign, omen”) and Scottish Gaelic seun (“a charm”).

More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-Germanic

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Czech pokřižovat
  • pokřižovatto make the sign of the cross

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with sain

mainagaindomainSpainpaincampaignchainmaintaingaintrainobtainremaincontainrainmaineexplainlaneplainjaneplaneWayneUkrainegrainstrain
All rhymes →

Sounds the same

saneSeine (one pronunciation)

Anagrams

ASINSinasianSaniniasanisnasiIsanInas
Cite this entry
APA

sain. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sain

MLA

“sain.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sain. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sain,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sain.

Source: sain on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.