gainsay C2+ Topic:Communication US /ˌɡeɪnˈseɪ/ UK /ˌɡeɪnˈseɪ/ See IPA manual Meanings 1 verb to deny or contradict; to speak against No one could gainsay the strength of her argument. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 verb · to deny or contradict; to... contradictdenydisputeopposecontravenerefutecontrovert ↔ Opposites affirmconfirmsupportagree Word family Derived forms gainsayer Related forms sayagainst Etymology AI details From Middle English 'gainsayen', from 'gain-' ('against', from Old English 'gegn-') plus 'say'. gegn Old English secgan Old English View etymology graph -> Topics Communication Word Formation & Derivatives External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # gainsay **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** verb **IPA (US):** /ˌɡeɪnˈseɪ/ **IPA (UK):** /ˌɡeɪnˈseɪ/ ## Meanings 1. to deny or contradict; to speak against ## Examples - No one could gainsay the strength of her argument. ## Synonyms - contradict - deny - dispute - oppose - contravene - refute - controvert ## Antonyms - affirm - confirm - support - agree ## Derived Forms - gainsayer ## Related Forms - say - against ## Roots and Affixes - Root: gegn - Root: secgan ## Etymology From Middle English 'gainsayen', from 'gain-' ('against', from Old English 'gegn-') plus 'say'. ## AI Etymology Gainsay comes from Middle English 'gainsayen', from 'gain-' ('against', from Old English 'gegn-') plus 'say'. The form is best read as a historical transfer or inheritance, with its older language material carrying the main semantic load. As a verb, it means "to deny or contradict; to speak against", so the modern sense keeps the older action or relation visible. Relevant historical forms include Old English gegn and Old English secgan. Derivative forms include gainsayer; related words include say, against. ## Topics - Communication - Word Formation & Derivatives markdown