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Definition 2024

gain-

gain-

See also: gain and ga in

English

Alternative forms

  • gane- (Scotland)

Prefix

gain-

  1. Prefix meaning "against", "contrary to", "in opposition to", "counter-".
    gainsay, gainstand, gainstay, gainstrive
  2. Prefix denoting reciprocal action; "in return"; "counter-".
    gainclap, gaingive, gainyield
  3. Prefix denoting restoration or a return to a previous state; "back again".
    gainbuy, gaincover, gaintake
  4. Prefix denoting repetition; "over again"; "anew"; again-.
    gainrising

Derived terms

<a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs14 CategoryTreeLabelCategory' href='/wiki/Category:English_words_prefixed_with_gain-'>English words prefixed with gain-</a>

Etymology

From Middle English gain- ‎(prefix), from Old English geġn-, gēan- ‎(“back, against, in return”, prefix), from Proto-Germanic *gagin ‎(“towards, against”). Cognate with Dutch tegen- ‎(“counter-”), German gegen- ‎(“against, toward, at”), Icelandic gagn- ‎(“through”). More at again.

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