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Added 1 October 2026

contain

/kənˈteɪn/ verb

In Latin: teneo Wiktionary

verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about contain at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

To hold inside.
The brown box contains three stacks of books.
To include as a part.
Most of the meals they offer contain meat.
To put constraints upon; to restrain; to confine; to keep within bounds.
I'm so excited, I can hardly contain myself!

Origin

From Middle English conteinen, borrowed from Old French contenir, from Latin continēre (“to hold or keep together, comprise, contain”), combined form of con- (“together”) + teneō (“to hold”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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