of wane Meaning and Definition
of wane
Pronunciation
/oʊf wɛn/
Part of Speech
Noun
Definition
A phase of decrease or diminution in size, strength, or intensity; a period of losing intensity or effectiveness.
Etymology
From Middle English “wanen”, to decrease or wane, ultimately from Old English “wanian”, from Proto-Germanic “*wainiz”, from Proto-Indo-European “*wē-“>, to decrease.
Usage Notes
Use “of wane” when describing a gradual decrease in something, such as strength, popularity, or intensity. For example: “The company’s profits have been of wane in recent years.” Avoid using “of wane” when describing a sudden or dramatic decrease.
Cultural References
“Of Wane” is a track from the album “The Fifth Element” by the Electronic music group Apollo 440.
Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases
- on the wane
- waning power
- loss of strength
Related Words or Phrases
- dilute
- diminish
- decline
Collocations
- of wane influence
- of wane popularity
- of wane strength
Frequency of Use
According to corpus linguistics, “of wane” is used relatively infrequently, but increasingly in modern language.
Common Misspellings
- waning
- of wain