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

This yarn is dyed by hand so every skein is unique. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 23 Sep. 2025

These reboosts are needed periodically because the ISS flies through a thin skein of air molecules while orbiting Earth roughly 250 miles (400 kilometers) up. —Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 23 Aug. 2025

The script adorns its skein of criminal dealings with idiosyncratic action, too. —Richard Brody, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2025

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