bein

B3E1I1N1
/biːn/

adjective

Wealthy; well-to-do.

“a bein farmer”

OriginMiddle English been ← Old Norse beinn ← Proto-Germanic *bainaz →
Less commonScrabble 6
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Meanings

adjectivebein (comparative more bein, superlative most bein)

comparative more bein · superlative most bein · alternative been · alternative bene · alternative bien

  1. Now chiefly dialectalWealthy; well-to-do.

    a bein farmer

  2. Now chiefly dialectalWell provided; comfortable; cosy.
adverbbein (comparative more bein, superlative most bein)

comparative more bein · superlative most bein · alternative been · alternative bene · alternative bien

  1. Now chiefly dialectalComfortably.
verbbein (third-person singular simple present beins, present participle beining, simple past and past participle beined)

present singular third person beins · participle present beining · participle past beined · past beined · alternative been · alternative bene · alternative bien

  1. ScotlandtransitiveTo render or make comfortable.
  2. ScotlandtransitiveTo dry.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰeyh₂-“to hit, beat”
  2. Proto-Germanic*bainaz“straight”
  3. Old Norsebeinn“straight, right, favourable, advantageous, convenient, friendly, fair, keen”
  4. Middle Englishbeen
  5. Englishbein

From Middle English been, beene, bene (“gracious, generous, pleasant”), of unknown origin. Perhaps from Old Norse beinn (“straight, right, favourable, advantageous, convenient, friendly, fair, keen”), from Proto-Germanic *bainaz (“straight”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyh₂- (“to hit, beat”). Cognate with Scots bein, bien (“in good condition, pleasant, well-to-do, cosy, well-stocked, pleasant, keen”), Icelandic beinn (“straight, direct, hospitable”), Norwegian bein (“straight, direct, easy to deal with”). See also bain.

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

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Sounds the same

beanbeenbeanbeenbeanbeen

Anagrams

BienBenibine
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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