Etymograph

English

sain

Sain comes from Proto-Germanic *segnōną ‘to mark with a cross, bless’, and goes back to Proto-Italic *segnom ‘sign’.

  1. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*segnom1‘sign’reconstructed
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsignum2‘visible indication: sign, mark, signal’
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsignō2
  4. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*segnōną2‘to mark with a cross, bless’reconstructed
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150sēnian2
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500sainen2
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1828sain2

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Latin signum
  2. 2 Wiktionary, English sain
  3. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology: “Saining is the grand protection against them; a Shetlander…”.

Earlier history uncertain. See Wiktionary.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*segnomWiktionary, Latin signum‘sign’reconstructed
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsignumWiktionary, English sain‘visible indication: sign, mark, signal’
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsignōWiktionary, English sain
  4. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*segnōnąWiktionary, English sain‘to mark with a cross, bless’reconstructed
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150sēnianWiktionary, English sain
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500sainenWiktionary, English sain
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1828sainWiktionary, English sain. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology: “Saining is the grand protection against them; a Shetlander…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *sek- ‘to cut’

sex, risk, section, ship, saw, sexual, segment, scarlet, sack, insect, sawyer, sickle, het, dissect, scythe, shingle, sich, sax, seg, sedge, brassica, desiccation, desiccant, 48 more

through Proto-Italic *segnom ‘sign’

significant, signal, significance, designation, ensign, signify, sealing, insignia, signet, signification, assignation, 12 more

through Latin signum ‘visible indication: sign, mark, signal’

sign, seal, sigil, 16 more

through Latin signō

design, resign, assign, consign, 7 more

Today it means

verb To make the sign of the cross on or over something or someone.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “sain”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entry for Latin signum. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Proto-Italic *segnom / sain

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