shin

1 of 4

noun (1)

: the front part of the vertebrate leg below the knee

shin

2 of 4

verb

shinned; shinning

intransitive verb

1
: shinny
2
: to move forward rapidly on foot

transitive verb

1
: to kick or strike on the shins
2
: to climb by shinnying

shin

3 of 4

noun (2)

ˈshēn How to pronounce shin (audio)
ˈshin
: the 22nd letter of the Hebrew alphabet see Alphabet Table

Shin

4 of 4

noun (3)

ˈshin How to pronounce Shin (audio)
ˈshēn
: a major Japanese Buddhist sect that emphasizes salvation by faith in exclusive worship of Amida Buddha

Examples of shin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Fashion-wise, women were dressed in cloche hats, tubular silhouettes with drop waists, and handkerchief hemlines boldly skimming shins—which were on show for the very first time. Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 1 Apr. 2024 In the first video, Kardashian showed a close-up of her shin. Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 31 Jan. 2024
Verb
Mays hit for both power and for average while also shinning at running, throwing and fielding. Ray Sanchez, CNN, 19 June 2024 The levante is the easterly blow favored by windsurfers that causes heavy swells, casts apocalyptic clouds, and gives shins an unwanted microdermabrasion. Lydia Bell, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for shin 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shin.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English shine, from Old English scinu; akin to Old High German scina shin, Old English scīa shin, leg

Noun (2)

Hebrew shīn

Noun (3)

Japanese, literally, truth

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1829, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (2)

circa 1823, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1877, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shin was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near shin

Cite this Entry

“Shin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shin. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

shin

1 of 2 noun
: the front part of the leg below the knee

shin

2 of 2 verb
shinned; shinning
: shinny

Medical Definition

shin

noun
: the front part of the leg below the knee

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