tin

B1 Topic:Materials & Substances

US /tɪn/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like thin /θ/ vs /t/ Sounds like teen /ɪ/ vs /iː/

Freq #4786

Meanings

1

noun
A sealed metal container used to keep food or drink fresh.

He opened a tin of baked beans for lunch.
2

noun
A metal pan used for baking or storing food.

She poured the cake mixture into a round tin.
3

verb
To preserve food by sealing it in a metal container.

The factory tins thousands of tomatoes every day.
4

noun
A soft, silvery-white metal used to coat steel and make alloys.

The old roof was made of sheets of tin.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a sealed metal container... can

3 verb · to preserve food by sealing... can

More tinnen

Word family

Forms tinnedtinningtins

Derived forms lead-tinorganotinpre-tinsnap-tintetraethyltintetraphenyltintin-earedtin-glazedtin-horntin-platetin-platedtin-plater

Related forms bronzecassiteritepewterstann-stanna-stannanestannarystannatestannicstannidestanniferousstannified

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

tin whistle
a small inexpensive flute played by blowing through a mouthpiece

Noun + noun

Simplified etymology

Tin is an Old English name for the metal, attested in the writings of Alfred the Great. Its use for a sealed metal food or drink container developed in the late 18th century.

Etymology

From Middle English tin, from Old English tin, from Proto-West Germanic *tin, from Proto-Germanic *tiną.

tin Old English *tin Proto-West Germanic *tiną Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Materials & Substances

External links

# tin

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /tɪn/
**Frequency rank:** 4786

## Meanings
1. A sealed metal container used to keep food or drink fresh.
2. A metal pan used for baking or storing food.
3. To preserve food by sealing it in a metal container.
4. A soft, silvery-white metal used to coat steel and make alloys.

## Examples
- He opened a tin of baked beans for lunch.
- She poured the cake mixture into a round tin.
- The factory tins thousands of tomatoes every day.
- The old roof was made of sheets of tin.

## Synonyms
- tinnen

## Derived Forms
- lead-tin
- organotin
- pre-tin
- snap-tin
- tetraethyltin
- tetraphenyltin
- tin-eared
- tin-glazed
- tin-horn
- tin-plate
- tin-plated
- tin-plater

## Related Forms
- bronze
- cassiterite
- pewter
- stann-
- stanna-
- stannane
- stannary
- stannate
- stannic
- stannide
- stanniferous
- stannified

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: tin
- Root: *tin
- Root: *tiną

## Etymology
From Middle English tin, from Old English tin, from Proto-West Germanic *tin, from Proto-Germanic *tiną.

## AI Etymology
Tin is from Middle English tin, from Old English tin, from Proto-West Germanic *tin, from Proto-Germanic *tiną. The historical line also includes Middle English tin, Old English tin, Proto-West Germanic *tin, Proto-Germanic *tiną. In present-day use, it can mean a sealed metal container used to keep food or drink fresh, or a metal pan used for baking or storing food. Derived formations include lead-tin, organotin, pre-tin, snap-tin, tetraethyltin, tetraphenyltin, tin-eared, tin-glazed.

## Topics
- Materials & Substances

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tin