ayin

A1Y4I1N1
/ˈaɪ.ɪn/

noun

The sixteenth letter of many Semitic alphabets/abjads (Phoenician, Aramaic, Hebrew, Syriac, Arabic and others).

OriginProto-Semitic *ʿayn- ← Hebrew עַיִן →
UncommonScrabble 7
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Meanings

nounayin (plural ayins)

plural ayins · alternative ain · alternative ʿain · alternative ʿayin · alternative ayn · alternative ƹayn · alternative ayen

  1. The sixteenth letter of many Semitic alphabets/abjads (Phoenician, Aramaic, Hebrew, Syriac, Arabic and others).

    Ayin is the most difficult of the faucals.

    1883, Isaac Taylor, The Alphabet

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
aynƹayn

Origin

  1. Hebrewעַיִן
  2. Proto-Semitic*ʿayn-“eye”
  3. Englishayin

From Proto-Semitic *ʿayn- (“eye”), particularly via Hebrew עַיִן (ʿáyin).

More words from Proto-Semitic, Hebrew

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic عَيْن, ع
  • عَيْن (ʕayn)Semitic letter
  • ع (ʕ)Semitic letter
Catalan ain
  • ainSemitic letter
Finnish ajin
  • ajinSemitic letter
French aïn
  • aïnSemitic letter
Hebrew עַיִן, ע
  • עַיִן (áyin)Semitic letter
  • עSemitic letter
Italian ain
  • ainSemitic letter
Malay ain
  • ainSemitic letter
Persian عین, ع
  • عین ('eyn)Semitic letter
  • عSemitic letter
Russian айн
  • айн (ajn)Semitic letter
Yiddish עין
  • עין (ayen)Semitic letter

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with ayin

die-in
All rhymes →

Anagrams

NiyaAnyi
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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