Bain
/beɪn/noun
A bath or bathing place, chiefly in Scots and dialectal English.
Did you know?Bain is a Scots form related to French bain and ultimately Latin balneum, the Roman word associated with public bathhouses and bathing culture.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
βαλανεῖον (balaneîon)
“A bathhouse or bathing establishment”
Classical Latin
Latin
balneum
“A bath, bathing room, or bathhouse”
Medieval Latin
Latin
balneum
“A bath or place for bathing”
12th–13th Century
Old French
bain
“A bath or bathing”
14th Century onward
Scots
bain
“A bath; bathing place”
Modern English
English
bain
“A dialectal or Scots term for a bath”
Explore more surprising origins