pine

noun, often attributive \ ˈpīn \

|Updated on: 15 Jun 2018

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

—

piney

or less commonly piny play \ˈpī-nē\ adjective

See pine defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of pine from the Web

On a cliff in Italy’s Pollino National Park stands a sparse pine tree with a dead crown and a decaying trunk.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "Europe’s Oldest Known Tree Discovered in Italy," 29 May 2018
Next up was the par-5 13th, and Spieth's tee shot ended up in the pine straw right of the fairway.

— daniel rapaport, SI.com, "Jordan Spieth Shoots Record-Tying 64 in Final Round at the Masters," 8 Apr. 2018
Though there have been countless tournament-changing red numbers at No. 13 over the years, the most famous in recent times was Phil Mickelson’s 6-iron off the pine straw that landed five feet from the cup.

— chris chase, For The Win, "Ranking the back nine holes at The Masters, from great to greatest," 5 Apr. 2018
Another wayward tee short at the 13th wound up in the pine straw, leaving Woods with no chance to go for the green.

— paul newberry, Houston Chronicle, "Tiger Woods plods through his 1st Masters round since 2015," 5 Apr. 2018
Water regularly until the root system is well established and don't forget to keep your plants mulched with 2 to 3 inches of leaves, pine straw or other materials.

— dan gill, NOLA.com, "Tomato-growing tips: what type to plant, when and how to plant them," 10 Mar. 2018
Or Phil Mickelson off the pine straw — around a tree and over a creek — on No. 13 in the final round of the 2010 Masters.

— ron kroichick, San Francisco Chronicle, "Dustin Johnson with the best shot ever? Brandel Chamblee swings and misses," 10 Jan. 2018
The interior has an open ceiling with exposed support beams, which are built to look like the needles of the region’s native Torrey pine.

— phil diehl, sandiegouniontribune.com, "After almost 60 years, a new civic center for Del Mar," 28 May 2018
For yet another summer, fans watched Iaconetti pine over Haibon, unapologetically sabotaging his chances with fellow contestant Caila Quinn.

— aurelie corinthios, PEOPLE.com, "Why Bachelor Fans Are So Obsessed with Ashley Iaconetti and Jared Haibon's Long-Awaited Romance," 23 May 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.

Origin and Etymology of pine

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Other Seed Plant Terms

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

pine

verb

Definition of pine

pined; pining

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

See pine defined for English-language learners

See pine defined for kids

Recent Examples of pine from the Web

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
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
While others retailers might pine after the designer flavor of the month, Uniqlo actively seeks out designers who can speak the brand’s language of simplicity.

— cam wolf, GQ, "Uniqlo Finds Another Perfect Collaboration Partner," 20 Feb. 2018

Origin and Etymology of pine

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Synonym Discussion of pine

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

PINE Defined for English Language Learners

pine

noun

Definition of pine for English Language Learners

: 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

Definition of pine for English Language Learners

: to become thin and weak because of sadness or loss

PINE Defined for Kids

pine

noun \ ˈpīn \

Definition of pine for Students

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

pine

verb

Definition of pine for Students

pined; pining

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

2 : to long for very much

She pined for home.

Medical Dictionary

pine

noun \ ˈpīn \

medical Definition of pine

: any tree of the genus Pinus

pine

noun

medical Definition of pine

: 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