How to pronounce bane
American English pronunciation
BAYN
- IPA
- /ˈbeɪn/
- Syllables
- BAYN (1 syllable)
Love words? Try a free round: no sign-up, about two minutes. Play free
What bane means
A constant cause of misery or ruin
In a sentence: Mosquitoes are the bane of our summer camping trips.
Where it comes from: It comes from an Old English word for something that brings ruin. It lives on in old plant names like dogbane, for plants once thought to be poison.
Can you spot the real meaning? Try one
Loading a word…
Compare: bane and nuisance
A nuisance just bothers you, while a bane is far worse, a constant source of misery or ruin.
Can you spot the real meaning? Play Wordfib
One free round, no sign-up. Wordfib shows a word and four meanings: one real, three fibs.