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Etymology
Numeral. From Middle English tweyne, tweien, twaine, from Old English twēġen m (“two”), from Proto-West Germanic *twai-, from Proto-Germanic *twai, from Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁. Cognate with Saterland Frisian twäin, Low German twene, German zween, Swedish tvenne .
The word outlasted the breakdown of gender in Middle English and survived as a secondary form of two, then especially in the cases where the numeral follows a noun. Its continuation into modern times was aided by its use in KJV, the Marriage Service, in poetry (where it is commonly used as a rhyme word), and in oral use where it is necessary to be clear that two and not to or too is meant.
Verb. From Middle English twaynen, from twayne (“two”, numeral) (see Etymology of Numeral above).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /tweɪn/, [tʰw̥eɪn]
Numeral
twain
- (dated) two
- But the warm twilight round us twain will never rise again.
- Bring me these twain cups of wine and water, and let us drink from the one we feel more befitting of this day.
Verb
twain (third-person singular simple present twains, present participle twaining, simple past and past participle twained)
- (transitive) To part in twain; divide; sunder.
