shiner

noun

shin·​er ˈshī-nər How to pronounce shiner (audio)
1
: one that shines
2
: a silvery fish
especially : any of numerous small freshwater American cyprinid fishes (especially genus Notropis) compare golden shiner
3

Examples of shiner in a Sentence

He got a shiner during a fight at school.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Pieces on view included a curving white bouquet beside a marble angel sculpture, a floral tower next to a vintage evening gown, and a colorful arrangement inside a red shoe mirroring a painting of a shoe shiner. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025 Both played on until the second half but Kennedy walked away with a massive shiner. Asli Pelit, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025 Sporting a vicious shiner following her mugging last week, Alex (Julia Schlaepfer) learns her train ticket doesn't include dining service. Matt Cabral, EW.com, 23 Mar. 2025 Jupiter’s the brighter of the two by far and is also the brightest star-like object among the winter shiners. Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 2 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for shiner

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shiner was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shiner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shiner. Accessed 6 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

shiner

noun
shin·​er ˈshī-nər How to pronounce shiner (audio)
1
: one that shines
2
: a silvery fish
especially : any of numerous small freshwater American fishes related to the carp
3

Medical Definition

shiner

noun
shin·​er ˈshī-nər How to pronounce shiner (audio)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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