vainly
/ˈveɪnli/VAYN-lee
/ˈveɪnli/VAYN-lee
Meaningin an empty way
Common meaning: without success
- vainempty, hollow; without substanceLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 1957 · scan
- lyadverb ending: in a way
Journey through time
- Latinvānus, -a, -um‘empty, hollow’
- Frenchvain
- Middle Englishvainsource
- Englishvain‘proud of looks’
- Englishformed in English from vainvainly‘without success’ · today
Sources & notes
Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
- No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
- US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
- No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.
Origin: Formed in English from vain + -ly.
Dictionary: Skeat (1898), VAIN, p.678 · scan
Roots
- vānus, -a, -um Latin “empty, hollow; without substance”
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