skein

1 of 2

noun

ˈskān 

1

or less commonly skean or skeane

ˈskān 

: a loosely coiled length of yarn or thread wound on a reel

2

: something suggesting the twists or coils of a skein : tangle

3

: a flock of wildfowl (such as geese or ducks) in flight

skein

2 of 2

verb

skeined; skeining; skeins

transitive verb

: to wind into skeins

skein yarn

Examples of skein in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The reality skein, which collected a 2002 Emmy Award, featured Ozzy, Sharon and two of their three children. —Chris Morris, Variety, 22 July 2025

Elsewhere bags came dressed in multiple tassels resembling skeins of wool echoing the Dior collection’s peppy collegiate style knits and the Dior house’s roots in craftsmanship. —Stephanie Hirschmiller, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025

This 24-pack of mini skeins has a rainbow of vibrant colors with 1,308 yards total of the premium yarn. —Jené Luciani Sena, Fox News, 22 Mar. 2025

Bird strikes are dangerous, and have resulted in many crashes, for example the Miracle on the Hudson in 2009 when an Airbus 320 ran into a skein of Canada geese and was forced to ditch in the Hudson river. —David Hambling, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English skeyne, from Middle French (Picard) escagne, probably from Vulgar Latin *scamnia, from *scamniare to wind yarn, from *scamnium rack for holding bobbins, from Latin scamnum bench, stool — more at shambles

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1775, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for skein

• ane
• bane
• blain
• brain
• cane
• chaine
• cheyne
• deign
• drain
• fain
• fane
• feign

Kids Definition

skein

noun

ˈskān

: a looped length of yarn or thread put up in a loose twist after it is taken from the reel