shin

1 of 4

noun (1)

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

Shin

4 of 4

noun (3)

ˈshin How to pronounce Shin (audio) ˈshēn How to pronounce Shin (audio)
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Six young women — hair fashionably bobbed, shins covered by knee-high socks — posed in dark, modest swimming suits in the tiled abyss of an empty swimming pool. — Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026 So users enjoy a dedicated shower room without banging their shins on the toilet or arms on the sink. — New Atlas, 21 July 2026 Benjamin Sesko is still returning to full fitness after his shin injury, and did not travel to Finland. — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 21 July 2026 Butlers are kicked in the shins and told their children are ugly; a patriarch’s idiotic military decisions are venerated for their spirit; blood spilling out of a servant’s wound is more an issue for the rug. — Diana Arterian, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for shin

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

Phrases Containing shin

Rhymes for shin

See All Rhymes for shin

Browse Nearby Words

shim-sham shimmy
shin
Shin
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shin. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

shin

1 of 2 noun
ˈshin How to pronounce shin (audio)
: the front part of the leg below the knee

shin

2 of 2 verb
shinned; shinning
: shinny

Medical Definition

shin

noun
ˈshin How to pronounce shin (audio)
: the front part of the leg below the knee

More from Merriam-Webster on shin

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for shin

Nglish: Translation of shin for Spanish Speakers

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