# remain

> English word · Noun · IPA /ɹɪˈmeɪn/ · frequency rank #1,574

## Definitions
1. That which is left; relic; remainder.
2. That which is left of a human being after the life is gone; relics; a dead body.
3. Posthumous works or productions, especially literary works.
4. State of remaining; stay.

## Etymology
From Middle English remainen, from Old French remain-, stressed stem of remanoir, from Latin remaneō, maneō, from Proto-Indo-European *men- (“to stay”).
Displaced native Middle English beliven, bliven (“to remain”) (from Old English belīfan (“to remain, stay”)) due to confluence with related Middle English beleven (“to leave behind”), with which it merged. More at beleave and belive.

## Easily confused with
- **Remi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/remain-vs-remi)
- **roman** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/remain-vs-roman)
- **remix** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/remain-vs-remix)
- **resin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/remain-vs-resin)
- **remit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/remain-vs-remit)
- **retail** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/remain-vs-retail)
- **repair** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/remain-vs-repair)
- **remind** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/remain-vs-remind)
- **retain** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/remain-vs-retain)
- **remake** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/remain-vs-remake)
- **remark** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/remain-vs-remark)
- **repaid** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/remain-vs-repaid)
- **remand** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/remain-vs-remand)
- **remains** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/remain-vs-remains)
- **retains** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/remain-vs-retains)
- **romaine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/remain-vs-romaine)
- **repaint** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/remain-vs-repaint)
- **Riemann** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/remain-vs-riemann)
- **remained** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/remain-vs-remained)
- **remaking** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/remain-vs-remaking)

## Common misspellings (8)
`ermain`, `reamin`, `remainn`, `remani`, `remian`, `remmain`, `rmeain`, `rremain`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/remain