1
: a soft faintly bluish-white lustrous low-melting crystalline metallic element with atomic number 50 that is malleable and ductile at ordinary temperatures and that is used especially in containers, as a protective coating, in tinfoil, and in soft solders and alloys
—often used before another noun
tin cans
a tin roof
see Chemical Elements Table
2
plural tins
a
: a box, can, pan, vessel, or a sheet made of tinplate
broadly
: such a container of any metal (such as aluminum)
b
: a metal container and its contents
a tin of tomatoes
tin
adjective
tinned; tinning
1
: to cover or plate with tin or a tin alloy
2
: to put up or pack in tins : can
tinned peaches
taxpayer identification number
Examples of tin in a Sentence
Noun
row upon row of tins containing food for an emergency that never happened
Recent Examples on the Web
Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 4 June 2025
Every phone screen has a super-thin layer of a material called indium tin oxide.
—Terence Musho, The Conversation, 28 May 2025
Helen Carefoot, Verywell Health, 6 June 2025
But is tinned fish’s resurgence truly a recession indicator?
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tin
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Noun
The Can Manufacturers Institute, a trade group for the industry, said domestic can makers import almost 80% of tin mill steel due to the cut in domestic production of that type of steel.
—Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 4 June 2025
Every phone screen has a super-thin layer of a material called indium tin oxide.
—Terence Musho, The Conversation, 28 May 2025
Verb
How to Add Sardines and Anchovies to Your Diet
Whether fresh or tinned, anchovies and sardines are both versatile fish that pack a punch of flavor.
—Helen Carefoot, Verywell Health, 6 June 2025
But is tinned fish’s resurgence truly a recession indicator?
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tin
Cite this Entry
“Tin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tin. Accessed 15 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tin
2 of 2 verb
tinned; tinning
1
: to cover or plate with tin or a mixture of tin with another metal
2
: to put up or pack in tins : can
Medical Definition
tin
noun
: a soft faintly bluish white lustrous low-melting crystalline metallic element that is malleable and ductile at ordinary temperatures and that is used as a protective coating, in tinfoil, and in soft solders and alloys
—symbol Sn
see Chemical Elements Table
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