gainword
English edit
Etymology edit
Noun edit
gainword (plural gainwords)
- (linguistics, rare, in relation to the Maori language) A word that a language has borrowed from other languages. In the process, the spelling and pronunciation, and even meaning, may be altered.
- Synonym: loanword
- 1995, TP Duval, A preliminary dictionary of Maori gainwords compiled on historical principles:
- Words comprising a gainword + Maori suffix are entered as run-ons in alphabetical order where there is a root gainword as headword.
Translations edit
a word a language has borrowed from another language — see loanword