Bane Once Meant Murder
A bane is a cause of ruin or annoyance. The Old English word meant a killer, and it survives in plant names.
A bane is a cause of ruin or persistent annoyance, as in *the bane of my life*. The word was once far stronger: Old English *bana* meant a killer or murderer, and the sense weakened over centuries until it now often means little more than a nuisance. The old force survives in plant names: *wolfsbane*, *henbane*, *ratsbane* and *fleabane* all name plants once used to kill the creature named, and every one of them is genuinely poisonous.
- A cause of ruin. *The bane of my life.*
- A killer (archaic). *A bana.*
- Wolfsbane — a poisonous plant. *Wolfsbane.*
- Baneful — harmful. *Baneful.*
- Old English — *bana*, a slayer. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | bane | A bane. |
| Plural | banes | Banes. |
| Adjective | baneful | Baneful. |
| Compound | wolfsbane | Wolfsbane. |
| Old English | bana | A slayer. |
- Paperwork is the bane of my life.Weakened.
- Bana meant a killer.Etymology.
- Wolfsbane is highly poisonous.Plants.
The bane plants
- Wolfsbane — aconite, one of the most poisonous garden plants
- Henbane — a nightshade relative, historically used as a sedative
- Ratsbane — an old name for arsenic
- Fleabane — burned to drive off insects
- Dogbane — toxic to dogs and to most mammals
Old English *bana*, a slayer or murderer, of Germanic origin.
Did bane always mean a nuisance?
No. It meant a killer. The sense weakened over centuries, but the plant names preserve the original force.
Is wolfsbane really poisonous?
Very. Aconite is among the most toxic plants grown in gardens, and even handling it requires care.