# SAI

/ˈɛˈseɪˈaɪ/ (US) · CEFR C2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sai
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

to know something. This is a very old-fashioned way of speaking that you might see in old books or poems.

For teachers: the archaic third-person singular present of 'wit', meaning to know. Used in modern English only as a deliberate archaism or in historical literary contexts.

## Examples

- God sai what is in your heart.
- In the old manuscript, the knight claims that only the king sai the true location of the treasure.
- The poet employs archaic forms like 'sai' to evoke a sense of medieval mysticism, though such terms have long since vanished from standard spoken English.

## Usage notes

- An archaic verb form; in modern contexts, it is almost exclusively found in historical fiction or religious texts.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.