Added 8 October 2026
pain
/ˈpeɪ̯n/ noun
In Latin: dolor Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about pain at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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An ache or bodily suffering, or an instance of this; an unpleasant sensation, resulting from a derangement of functions, disease, or injury by violence; hurt.
The greatest difficulty lies in treating patients with chronic pain.
- The pangs or sufferings of childbirth, caused by contractions of the uterus.
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The condition or fact of suffering or anguish especially mental, as opposed to pleasure; torment; distress
In the final analysis, pain is a fact of life.
verb
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To hurt; to put to bodily uneasiness or anguish; to afflict with uneasy sensations of any degree of intensity; to torment; to torture.
The wound pained him.
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To render uneasy in mind; to disquiet; to distress; to grieve.
It pains me to say that I must let you go.
- To inflict suffering upon as a penalty; to punish.
noun
Origin
From Middle English peyne, payne, from Old French and Anglo-Norman peine, paine, from Latin poena (“punishment, pain”), from Ancient Greek ποινή (poinḗ, “bloodmoney, weregild, fine, price paid, penalty”), from Proto-Hellenic *kʷoinā́, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷoynéh₂ (“payment”) (whence also Proto-Slavic *cěnà (“price”)). Doublet of peine. Compare Danish pine, Norwegian Bokmål pine, German Pein, Dutch pijn, Afrikaans pyn. See also pine (the verb). Partly displaced native Old English sār (whence Modern English sore).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)