vain
Pronunciation: /veɪn/
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Definition of vain
adjective
Phrases
Derivatives
- adverb
Pronunciation: /ˈveɪnnɪs/
noun
Origin:
Middle English (in the sense 'devoid of real worth'): via Old French from Latin vanus 'empty, without substance'
Do not confuse vain with vane or vein. Vain means 'having a very high opinion of yourself' (a vain woman with a touch of snobbery) or 'without success or a result' (a vain attempt to tidy up); vein means 'a tube that carries blood around the body' or 'a particular style or quality' (he continued in a more serious vein); vane means 'a broad blade forming part of a windmill, propeller, or turbine'.