WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
tain (tān),USA pronunciation
n.
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026- Buildinga thin tin plate.
- Buildingtin foil for the backs of mirrors.
- French: silvering, foil, aphetic variant of étain tin
- 1855–60
-tain-, root.
- -tain- comes from French and ultimately from Latin, where it has the meaning "hold.'' It is related to the root -ten-. This meaning is found in such words as: abstain, attain, contain, detain, entertain, maintain, obtain, pertain, rein, retain, retinue, sustain.
'tain' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
act curtain
- air curtain
- annuity certain
- bamboo curtain
- bell captain
- Bernese mountain dog
- block mountain
- café curtain
- Captain Jack
- captain of industry
- captain's bed
- captain's chair
- captain's mast
- Catoctin Mountain Park
- contour curtain
- curtain call
- curtain lecture
- curtain line
- curtain raiser
- curtain shutter
- curtain speech
- curtain time
- curtain wall
- dog curtain
- draw curtain
- drinking fountain
- drop curtain
- English plantain
- field captain
- fire curtain
- fountain grass
- Fountain of Youth
- fountain pen
- fountain plant
- Fountain Valley
- glass curtain
- Green Mountain Boys
- Green Mountain State
- house curtain
- ink fountain
- iron curtain
- Kennesaw Mountain
- king of the hill
- Kings Mountain
- Lookout Mountain
- Magic Mountain, The
- mountain
- mountain ash
- mountain avens
- mountain beaver