yarn

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: a continuous often plied strand composed of either natural or man-made fibers or filaments and used in weaving and knitting to form cloth
b
: a similar strand of another material (such as metal, glass, or plastic)
2
[from the idiom spin a yarn "to tell a tale"] : a narrative of adventures
especially : a tall tale
a roaring good yarn

yarn

2 of 2

verb

yarned; yarning; yarns

intransitive verb

: to tell a yarn
yarner noun

Examples of yarn in a Sentence

Noun The sheep's wool will be spun into yarn. yarns about ghosts and goblins a storyteller who spins yarns that will keep any audience riveted
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Many of the women and girls here substitute long green yarn or other material for the grass when celebrating in the U.S. Also part of the Ashenda attire is handmade jewelry, often passed down from relatives. Hojun Choi, Dallas News, 14 Sep. 2023 The shirt itself is made from a blend of recycled materials and responsibly sourced cotton yarn. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 31 Aug. 2023 Yarn Wall Hanging Use a gold macramé hoop, chunky yarn and oatmeal yarn to DIY a gorgeous wall hanging that can be displayed long after fall ends. Amanda Garrity, Good Housekeeping, 25 Aug. 2023 Embroider the beak between the eyes using yarn and a tapestry needle. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2023 Sewing equipment such as knitting needles, patterns, pins, scissors, sewing machines, sewing needles, tape measures, thimbles, buttons, fabric, lace, thread, yarn and zippers. Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 28 July 2023 Punch a hole in the upper left corner of each card and tie them together with a short piece of yarn. Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2023 The silhouettes are distended and reveal the skin beneath these big cobwebs of yarn. Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 6 Sep. 2023 One of the main points of that yarn is to persuade humans not to do exactly what Lee did in his comments. Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 6 Sep. 2023
Verb
Secure the planets to yarn with the needle and thread up through remaining eight holes. Rachelle Doorley, Parents, 16 Aug. 2023 Eventually, The Kelly Clarkson Show host gave up on her work, balling the needles and yarn together to signify she was done with both the piece and the video. Adrianna Freedman, Good Housekeeping, 7 June 2023 Begin by chaining two loops, then yarn over. Mariah Thomas, Good Housekeeping, 31 Oct. 2022 The range: large-scale new media productions, to psychedelic sculptures, to yarn. Robin Soslow, Chron, 20 Feb. 2023 The book’s title refers less to yarn than to Ms. Orenstein’s sense during the pandemic that her life is, in a word, unraveling. Barbara Spindel, WSJ, 25 Jan. 2023 Gina Owen is a member of the Dallas Yarn Bombers group, an organization that crafts yarn installations around the city. Dallas News, 29 June 2022 Yarn over, insert hook, yarn over and pull through three times in the same space to create your bobble. Mariah Thomas, Good Housekeeping, 31 Oct. 2022 As far as scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Library (JPL) know, there are not yet yarn factories on Mars. Fox News, 21 July 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'yarn.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English yerne, yarne "spun fiber," going back to Old English gearn, going back to Germanic *garna- (whence also Middle Dutch gaern, garen "spun fiber," Old High German & Old Norse garn), masculine noun probably from the same base as feminine *garnō "intestine" (whence Old Norse gǫrn, plural garnar "guts") and *garnja- (in Old English micgern, midirne "fat around the entrails of an animal," Old Saxon midgarni, Old High German mittigarni, with *midja- mid entry 1), going back to Indo-European *ǵhorH-n- (whence also Lithuanian žarnà "intestine" and Greek khordḗ "catgut, string of a musical instrument, sausage," in plural "guts, tripe," if altered from *khornḗ), suffixed o-grade derivative of *ǵhr̥H- "gut, cord made from animal intestines," whence Latin haru- "intestines" (in haruspex haruspex), Sanskrit híraḥ "band, strip," hirā́ "vein"

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1812, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of yarn was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near yarn

Cite this Entry

“Yarn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yarn. Accessed 28 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

yarn

1 of 2 noun
1
a
: a natural or manufactured fiber (as cotton, wool, or rayon) formed as a continuous strand for use in knitting or weaving
b
: a similar strand of another material (as metal, glass, or plastic)
2
: an interesting or exciting story

yarn

2 of 2 verb
: to tell a yarn

More from Merriam-Webster on yarn

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