gainword

G2A1I1N1W4O1R1D2

noun

A word that a language has borrowed from other languages. In the process, the spelling and pronunciation, and even meaning, may be altered.

Similar
loanword
Scrabble 13
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

noungainword (plural gainwords)

plural gainwords

  1. rarehuman sciencesA word that a language has borrowed from other languages. In the process, the spelling and pronunciation, and even meaning, may be altered.

    Words comprising a gainword + Maori suffix are entered as run-ons in alphabetical order where there is a root gainword as headword.

    1995, TP Duval, A preliminary dictionary of Maori gainwords compiled on historical principles

    Synonyms: loanword

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA word that a language has borrowed from other languages. In the process, the spelling and pronunciation, and even meaning, may be altered.

Similar
loanword
Also see
loanword

Origin

From gain + word.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Winograd
Cite this entry
APA

gainword. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gainword

MLA

“gainword.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gainword. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “gainword,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gainword.

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