Payn

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A feeling of physical hurt or mental anguish that causes someone discomfort or torment
2. An unpleasant sensation of bodily injury, illness, or emotional distress that affects a person
3. The sensation or emotion accompanying injury, illness, or deep sadness that makes one suffer

Etymology: In Middle English, "payn" was a spelling of "pain," and the older sense of that word was punishment rather than physical suffering. It came into English from Anglo-Norman and Old French "peine," which goes back to Latin "poena," meaning penalty, and ultimately to Greek "poinē," meaning compensation or blood-price owed for a wrong. The shift from legal penalty to bodily hurt happened gradually, as a punishment was understood more often through the suffering it caused. Because of that shared root, "pain" and "penalty" are close relatives. "Penalty" comes from the same Latin "poena" but entered English later, through a different French and Latin route, which is why the two look so different today. "Payn" survives mostly as an older spelling and as a surname, while "pain" has largely pushed out its original sense.

Synonyms: pain, suffering, ache

Antonyms: pleasure, comfort