rhizoverbBeta
DictionarypainPhysical or emotional suffering
noun / verb

pain

PAYN/peɪn/

Physical or emotional suffering.

The person winces in pain while holding a sprained ankle.

White adult winces while holding sprained ankle beside running shoe.
Etymology
painLatinpunishment, penalty

Latin poena meant punishment or penalty and also came to mean torment and suffering. That extension connects a penalty imposed on someone with the distress felt when the body is hurt.

In context

History Before Sleep47:05
Men who'd been shot in the arms or legs, and even after the physical wound healed, experienced excruciating burning pain that wouldn't go away.
🕯️🛋️🧠 The Neurasthenia Epidemic — When Being a Modern Woman Was a Disease 📜😴 | History for Sleep

More examples

  • The pain of losing her friend still feels fresh.
  • It pains me to see you so unhappy.
  • He has chest pains and needs medical help.
  • Finding parking here is a pain.

Forms

pain · pains · pained · paining

painful adjective — Causing physical discomfort or emotional suffering.

painless adjective — Not causing physical or emotional suffering.

Similar words

ache
Usually a steady, dull pain rather than a sharp sensation.
distress
Emphasizes emotional anguish or a state of serious discomfort.
hurt
Often emphasizes emotional injury or the act of causing pain.