vain

See also väin

English

Etymology

From Middle English, from Old French vain, from Latin vānus (“empty”)

Pronunciation

• IPA: /veɪn/
• enPR: vān

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪn
• Homophones: vane, vein

Adjective

vain (comparative vainer or more vain, superlative vainest or most vain)

1. overly proud of oneself, especially when concerning appearance
   • (Can we date this quote?) Leo Rosten:

     Every writer is a narcissist. This does not mean that he is vain; it only means that he is hopelessly self-absorbed.

2. having very little substance
3. effecting no purpose; pointless, futile.
   • (Can we date this quote?) William of Occam:

     It is vain to do with more what can be done with fewer.

Synonyms

• (pointless): pointless, futile, fruitless, ineffectual
• See also Wikisaurus:arrogant
• See also Wikisaurus:futile

Derived terms

• in vain
• vainness
• vainly

Related terms

• vanity

Translations

overly proud of one's appearance

Armenian: սնապարծ (hy) (snaparç) Dutch: ijdel (nl) Finnish: turhamainen (fi) French: vaniteux. German: eitel (de) Greek: ματαιόδοξος (el) (mataiódoksos)

Hebrew: גאוותן (he) (ga'avtán) Italian: vanitoso (it), vanesio (it) Portuguese: vaidoso (pt) m. Russian: тщеславный (ru) m. Scottish Gaelic: mòr à(s), sgòideasach, sgòideil, uaibhreach, uailleach Swedish: fåfäng (sv)

based on very little substance

Armenian: դատարկ (hy) (datark) Finnish: turha (fi) French: frivole (fr)

Norwegian: overfladisk (no) Portuguese: vazio (pt) Scottish Gaelic: faoin

pointless, futile

Armenian: ունայն (hy) (unayn) Czech: marný (cs) m. Dutch: nutteloos (nl), tevergeefs (nl) Finnish: turha (fi), tyhjä (fi) French: vain (fr), futile (fr)

German: unnützlich (de) Hebrew: חסר תועלת (he) (khasár to'élet) Italian: vano (it) Scottish Gaelic: faoin

External links

• vain in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• vain in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

Anagrams

• Ivan, Na'vi

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Finnish

Adverb

vain

1. only, merely, exclusively, solely, just
2. ever, in the phrasal adjective mikä vain

Usage notes

In many dialects, this word has transformed to vaan.

Derived terms

• mikä vain

Synonyms

• (only): ainoastaan
• (ever): tahansa

Anagrams

• ivan, niva, vian

---

French

Pronunciation

• audio

  (file)

Adjective

vain m. (f. vaine, m. plural vains, f. plural vaines)

1. useless, ineffective, fruitless
2. vain, shallow

Synonyms

• inutile

Related terms

• vanité
• vaniteux