Question: Mark Twain - What Does "Twain" Mean?
What does "Twain" mean? How did Mark Twain encounter the term? Read more about Mark Twain.
Answer: Mark Twain - The Meaning of "Twain"
"Twain" literally means "two," as in two items of a kind or two pieces. A famous phrase is: "Ever the twain shall meet."
Where Did Mark Twain Hear/Learn the Term?
As a riverboat pilot, Samuel Clemens would have heard the term "Mark Twain," which means "two fathoms," on a regular basis. According ot Justin Kaplan, the term many also have come from Mark Twain's time in Nevada, where saloonkeepers used "Mark Twain" to represent two drinks on credit.
Read more about the pseudonyms / pen names of Mark Twain.
