Regain
/ˌriːˈɡeɪn/noun
To get back possession, strength, or control of something again.
Did you know?Regain is built from the same ancient root as *gain*, which came through Old French from a Germanic word meaning “to give” or “yield,” so the idea is not just getting back — it’s taking back what once passed through another hand.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
gaitijaną
“to give, yield, or grant”
Old French
OF
gaaignier
“to gain, profit, acquire”
Middle English
ME
gainen
“to profit, be of use; to gain”
14th Century
English
regainen
“to gain again, recover”
Modern English
English
regain
“to get back possession, strength, or control”