What does cain mean?
Cain is best known as the eldest son of Adam and Eve in the Book of Genesis, infamous for murdering his brother Abel in what tradition regards as the first act of homicide. After the deed, he was marked by God and condemned to wander, giving rise to two enduring idioms: the "mark of Cain," signifying a stigma of guilt borne by wrongdoers, and "raise Cain," an informal chiefly American expression meaning to stir up an uproar or behave riotously. Beyond scripture, Cain functions as a cultural archetype for fraternal betrayal, envy, and violence against one's own kin, appearing constantly in literature, art, and psychology — most famously in Steinbeck's East of Eden. Though fundamentally a proper name rather than an ordinary vocabulary word, its resonance makes it instantly recognizable wherever themes of jealousy, guilt, and sibling conflict arise.
nounIn the Bible, the eldest son of Adam and Eve who murdered his brother Abel; by extension, a reference to fratricide or to one who turns violently against his own kind.
- The eldest son of Adam and Eve in the Book of Genesis, who murdered his brother Abel out of jealousy.
- (In the phrase 'raise Cain') wild commotion, uproar, or mischief.
"The novel's protagonist is haunted by his past like a modern Cain."
"According to Genesis, Cain was condemned to wander after killing his brother Abel."
"When the referee made that call, the whole crowd raised Cain."
To 'raise Cain' means to cause chaos or commotion — a phrase that literally invokes the Bible's first murderer every time someone throws a tantrum.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of cain
The name Cain comes from Hebrew Qayin, the name given in Genesis, which is traditionally connected to the Hebrew root qanah, meaning "to acquire" or "to possess" — echoing Eve's words at his birth, "I have gotten a man from the Lord." It passed into Greek and Latin as Kain/Cain and thence into English via the Latin Vulgate and Wycliffe's and later translations of the Bible. The expression "raise Cain" arose in 19th-century America, invoking the murderer's name to describe unruly behavior.
How cain is actually used
As a proper noun referring to the biblical figure, "Cain" is capitalized. The phrase "raise Cain" is informal American English meaning to create a disturbance or complain loudly; it is sometimes spelled "raise cain." The "mark of Cain" denotes a sign of guilt or divine protection from vengeance.
Easily confused with cain
"Cane" is a slender stick or woody stem (as in sugar cane or a walking cane), whereas "Cain" is the biblical figure's name.
"Kane" is an unrelated surname (as in Citizen Kane), while "Cain" specifically refers to the eldest son of Adam and Eve.