- Original: μάτην - Transliteration: Maten - Phonetic: mat'-ane - Definition: 1. in vain, fruitlessly - Origin: accus. of a derivative of the base of G3145 (through the idea of tentative manipulation, i.e. unsuccessful search, or else of punishment) - TDNT entry: 12:43,6 - Part(s) of speech: Adverb - Strong's: Accusative case of a derivative of the base of G3145 (through the idea of tentative manipulation that is unsuccessful search or else of punishment); folly that is (adverbially) to no purpose: - in vain.