pine

noun, often attributive

\ ˈpīn

Definition of pine

(Entry 1 of 2)

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 sense 1c

pine

verb

pined; pining

Definition of pine (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

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

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Choose the Right Synonym for pine

Verb

long, yearn, hanker, pine, hunger, thirst mean to have a strong desire for something. long implies a wishing with one's whole heart and often a striving to attain. longed for some rest yearn suggests an eager, restless, or painful longing. yearned for a stage career hanker suggests the uneasy promptings of unsatisfied appetite or desire. always hankering for money pine implies a languishing or a fruitless longing for what is impossible. pined for a lost love hunger and thirst imply an insistent or impatient craving or a compelling need. hungered for a business of his own thirsted for power

Examples of pine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Clustered among pine forests and sunny prairies along scenic backwoods roads 20 miles south of town, Perkins Tank and JD Dam Lake comprise a water-centric tour of the Kaibab National Forest’s southern sector. — Mare Czinar, azcentral, "Fun summer hikes in Arizona: These hidden little lakes attract wildlife, hikers and anglers," 5 July 2019 The village train station (1910) is the terminus for the historic Grand Canyon Railway, a scenic passenger line that runs 64 miles (102.9 km) through the pine forest and meadows of the Coconino Plateau between the South Rim and Williams, Arizona. — Joe Yogerst, National Geographic, "Everything to know about Grand Canyon National Park," 15 Mar. 2019 Lovely Fitler Square, just north, meanwhile, is filled with older empty-nesters who still pine for the mushroom soup of the old Friday Saturday Sunday. — Craig Laban, Philly.com, "Why some Philly neighborhoods attract creative eateries, and some don't | Craig LaBan," 13 June 2018 So many still pine for a renewal of the interstate rivalry. — Nick Talbot, San Antonio Express-News, "Writer’s Roundtable: Who should Longhorns play? Alabama or Texas A&M?," 26 May 2018 Some seek knowledge on weaving baskets from willow, bamboo, brambles, or pine needles. — Emma Grey Ellis, WIRED, "Spiff Up Your Real-World Skills With Old Timey YouTube," 25 June 2019 Improve your home’s survivability Remove dead leaves, debris and pine needles from you roof and gutters. — Rose Meily, The Mercury News, "Are you ready for fire season?," 14 June 2019 This article has a good discussion and includes several plant options, Plants that grow well under pine trees. — oregonlive.com, "Tips for success when planting under conifer and maple trees? Ask an expert," 8 June 2019 In Baldwin and Fallston, large hardwood tree limbs fell, some onto homes, and the trunks of about a dozen pine trees snapped. — Scott Dance, baltimoresun.com, "Not a tornado — a macroburst: Here's what caused storm damage in Baltimore, Harford counties last week," 4 June 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

For three 20-something UConn grads living in New York City, avid fans of the Huskies’ athletic teams, the urge to take action overtook the impulse to pine wistfully for past glory. — Dom Amore, courant.com, "UConn grads help fill empty seats at Huskies athletic events with youth groups through nonprofit," 14 June 2019 Location: Kauai, Hawaii Price: $6,950,000 As the last days of fall start to dwindle into winter, people who pine for sunny skies may dream of moving to a place where summer never ends. — Megan Barber, Curbed, "Modern Hawaii home takes indoor-outdoor living to airy heights for $6.9M," 1 Nov. 2018 Pacers fans have had no reason to pine for Paul George this season, not with both Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis smashing expectations during a surprising thrill ride. — Ben Golliver, SI.com, "2018 NBA Playoffs: The Biggest Questions For Each Series," 12 Apr. 2018 There’s some humor, and some cool monsters, and a seductive droid named L3 (voiced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge) whom Lando seems to pine for. — Alissa Wilkinson, Vox, "Solo: A Star Wars Story is the safest, most forgettable Star Wars movie," 24 May 2018 Ndegeocello, 49, may pine for her teen years, but any nostalgia is filtered on her new album through the prism of age and wisdom. — George Varga, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Meshell Ndegeocello San Diego-bound to promote 'Ventriloquism,' a covers album with many twists," 6 May 2018 In a cruel twist of fate, their characters continued to pine for each other on the show for another two years. — Hannah Orenstein, Seventeen, "22 Celebrities Who Dated Their Co-Stars IRL," 6 Feb. 2018 In a cruel twist of fate, their characters continued to pine for each other on the show for another two years. — Hannah Orenstein, Seventeen, "22 Celebrities Who Dated Their Co-Stars IRL," 6 Feb. 2018 Some in the Bay Area who pine for the fruit orchards of the Valley of Heart’s Delight might want to keep Silicon Valley as a replacement label. — Owen Thomas, San Francisco Chronicle, "Silicon Valley faces an uncertain future — starting with its definition," 12 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pine.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for pine

Noun

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

Verb

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

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Dictionary Entries near pine

Statistics for pine

Last Updated

13 Jul 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for pine

The first known use of pine was before the 12th century

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More Definitions for pine

pine

noun

English Language Learners Definition of pine

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a tree that has long, thin needles instead of leaves and that stays green throughout the year

: the wood of a pine tree that is often used to make furniture

pine

verb

English Language Learners Definition of pine (Entry 2 of 2)

: to become thin and weak because of sadness or loss

See the full definition for pine in the English Language Learners Dictionary

pine

noun

\ ˈpīn

Kids Definition of pine

(Entry 1 of 2)

: an evergreen tree that has cones, narrow needles for leaves, and a wood that ranges from very soft to hard

pine

verb

pined; pining

Kids Definition of pine (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : to become thin and weak because of sadness or worry

2 : to long for very much She pined for home.

pine

noun

\ ˈpīn

Medical Definition of pine

(Entry 1 of 2)

: any tree of the genus Pinus

pine

noun

Medical Definition of pine (Entry 2 of 2)

: a dietary deficiency disease of sheep or cattle marked by anemia, malnutrition, and general debility specifically : such a disease due to cobalt deficiency — compare morton mains disease