Kain
/keɪn/noun
A biblical figure known as the firstborn son of Adam and Eve who committed the first murder by killing his brother Abel.
Did you know?The name Kain is often linked to the Hebrew verb 'qanah', meaning 'to acquire' or 'to create', suggesting a deeper, darker narrative of possession and loss.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Semitic
*qāyin
“Possession or acquisition, implying a sense of ownership.”
Ancient Hebrew
Hebrew
קַיִן (Qayin)
“A name meaning 'spear' or 'to create', associated with strength and violence.”
Old Greek
Greek
Καϊν (Kain)
“Transliteration of the Hebrew name, carrying its original connotations.”
Latin
Latin
Cain
“Adoption of the name into Latin texts, retaining its violent legacy.”
Middle English
Middle English
Cain
“Direct borrowing from Latin, representing the biblical figure in English literature.”
Modern English
English
Kain
“Contemporary rendering of the biblical figure, symbolizing eternal conflict and moral lessons.”