Vain: Is from Latin vanus

Vain is from Latin vanus, "empty," and in English it originally meant "lacking value or effect, futile," like your vain attempt to find a pencil in your messy, overstuffed backpack. Likewise, the phrase "in vain" means "without success." Vain also means "conceited, too proud of oneself." The meaning of VAIN is having or showing undue or excessive pride in one's appearance or achievements : conceited. Learn the meaning of vain as an adjective in English, with synonyms, antonyms and usage examples. Find out how to say vain in different languages and contexts. vain definition: having an excessively high opinion of one's appearance or abilities. Check meanings, examples, usage tips, pronunciation, domains, and related words. Discover expressions like "in vain", "die in vain", "take in vain".