Bane
/beɪn/noun
Something that causes ruin, harm, or death; a source of great annoyance or trouble.
Did you know?Old English bān meant “bone,” and bane is historically linked to a Germanic word for “killer” or “slayer,” which is why the word carries such a heavy, fatal edge.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*banô / *bainaz
“A word connected with killing, injury, or bone, depending on the branch”
Old English
OE
bana
“Slayer, murderer, cause of death”
Old English
OE
bān
“Bone”
Middle English
ME
bane
“Death, destruction, poison, or a deadly cause”
Modern English
English
bane
“A source of harm, ruin, or persistent annoyance”