Added 9 October 2026
gainsay
/ɡeɪnˈseɪ/ verb
In Latin: adversor, contrādīcō, refrāgor Wiktionary
verb Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about gainsay at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
-
Take exception to.
She challenged his claims
Origin
From Middle English gainsayen, ȝeinseggen (“to say against, say in opposition to”), equivalent to gain- + say. Compare Old Danish gensige (“to speak against; gainsay”), Swedish gensaga (“a speaking against; protest”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)