seine

1 of 2

noun

ˈsān 

: a large net with sinkers on one edge and floats on the other that hangs vertically in the water and is used to enclose and catch fish when its ends are pulled together or are drawn ashore

seine

2 of 2

verb

seined; seining

intransitive verb

: to fish with or catch fish with a seine

transitive verb

: to fish for or in with a seine

Examples of seine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Among those operations, a seine removing trash from the water flowing here out of San Pedro Springs Park 1.5 miles north, the original spring site feeding the Creek. —Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025

Using a seine, the Karuk Tribe fisheries team formed a circle and pulled up their catch. —Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2024

Verb

During beach season, these sands host activities, including sunrise yoga, surfing lessons, ocean seining, and evening beach walks. —Beth Luberecki, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024

Other quotas go to seine, gillnets, recreational and subsistence fisheries, according to a statement from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. —Hal Bernton, Anchorage Daily News, 11 Aug. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English segne, from Latin sagena, from Greek sagēnē

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1836, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing seine

• purse seine

Rhymes for seine

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

Kids Definition

seine

1 of 2 noun

ˈsān 

: a large fishing net kept hanging in the water by weights and floats

seine

2 of 2 verb

seined; seining

: to fish with or catch with a seine

Geographical Definition

Seine

geographical name

ˈsān 

ˈsen

river 480 miles (772 kilometers) long in northern France flowing northwest into the Bay of the Seine (inlet of the English Channel)