as in spines
a column of bones supporting the trunk of a vertebrate animal
uncovered the chine of some animal while digging in the backyard
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Recent Examples of chines
At low speeds, the wide upper chines deliver stability and good fuel performance.
—
Tristan Rutherford, Robb Report, 8 Sep. 2025
Tristan Rutherford, Robb Report, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chines
Noun
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The tuatara is a charismatic medium-size reptile with a Muppet-like face and a row of spines running down its back.—
Elizabeth Preston,
Scientific American,
16 Dec. 2025
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At a distance many of these plants appear fluffy, with a bushiness that upon closer inspection reveals hundreds, likely thousands, of prickly spines.—
Von Diaz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
11 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Discovered in 1981, the tiny backbones — just a few millimeters long — had not received much attention historically.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Nov. 2025
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Driving trucks is one of the unappreciated backbones of modern civilization.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Their images were broadcast widely on Venezuelan television, face down with their arms tied behind their backs.—
Kevin G. Hall,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
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For his latest Max Mara collection, Griffiths designed many looks with bare backs demarcated with harness-like arrangements of black elastic straps.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Chines.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chines. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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