gain-
English
Alternative forms
- gane- (Scotland)
Etymology
From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Middle English gain- (prefix), from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old English geġn-, gēan- (“back, against, in return”, prefix), from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Proto-Germanic *gagin (“towards, against”). Cognate with Dutch tegen- (“counter-”), German gegen- (“against, toward, at”), Icelandic gagn- (“through”). More at again.
Prefix
gain-
- Prefix meaning "against", "contrary to", "in opposition to", "counter-".
- Prefix denoting reciprocal action; "in return"; "counter-".
- Prefix denoting restoration or a return to a previous state; "back again".
- Prefix denoting repetition; "over again"; "anew"; again-.