pine

¹pine

noun, often attributive \ˈpīn\

Definition of PINE

1

: any of a genus (Pinus of the family Pinaceae, the pine family) of coniferous evergreen trees that have slender elongated needles and include some valuable timber trees and ornamentals

2

: the straight-grained white or yellow usually durable and resinous wood of a pine varying from extreme softness in the white pine to hardness in the longleaf pine

3

: any of various Australian coniferous trees (as of the genera Callitris or Araucaria)

4

: pineapple

5

: bench 1c

— pin·ey also piny \ˈpī-nē\ adjective

Origin of PINE

Middle English, from Old English pīn, from Latin pinus; probably akin to Greek pitys pine

First Known Use: before 12th century

Other Seed Plant Terms

aubergine, box, bramble, briar, composite, perpetual, pulse, trefoil

Rhymes with PINE

bine, brine, chine, cline, dine, dyne, fine, Jain, line, Main, mine, nine, Quine, Rhine, rind, shine, shrine, sign, spine, spline, stein, swine, syne, thine, tine, trine, twine, vine, whine, wine

²pine

intransitive verb

pinedpin·ing

Definition of PINE

1

: to lose vigor, health, or flesh (as through grief) : languish

2

: to yearn intensely and persistently especially for something unattainable <they still pined for their lost wealth>

Origin of PINE

Middle English, from Old English pīnian to suffer, from *pīn punishment, from Latin poena — more at pain

First Known Use: 14th century

pine

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Cluster of pollen-bearing male cones of Austrian (black) pine (Pinus nigra).—Grant Heilman Photography

Any of 10 genera of coniferous trees (rarely shrubs) of the family Pinaceae (see conifer), native to northern temperate regions, especially about 90 species of ornamental and timber evergreen conifers of the genus Pinus. Needlelike leaves and cones are solitary or in bunches. Shallow root systems make pines susceptible to wind and surface disturbance. The family includes fir, Douglas fir, hemlock, spruce, larch, and cedar. Many species are sources of softwood timber, paper pulp, oils, and resins. Some are cultivated as ornamentals.