Sinn Fein

[ shin feyn ]

noun

1. a political organization in Ireland, founded about 1905, advocating the complete political separation from Great Britain of a unified Ireland.
2. a member of this organization.

Sinn Féin

/ ˈʃɪn ˈfeːn /

noun

1. an Irish republican political movement founded about 1905 and linked to the revolutionary Irish Republican Army: divided into a Provisional and an Official movement since a similar split in the IRA in late 1969

Sinn Fein

1. An Irish political party (in Gaelic it means “Ourselves Alone”) that has long combatted Great Britain 's influence in Ireland and sought the unification of Northern Ireland with the Irish republic in the south; generally considered the political portion of the Irish Republican Army . One wing of it has engaged in terrorism .

Derived Forms

• Sinn Féiner, noun
• Sinn Féinism, noun

Other Words From

• Sinn Feiner noun
• Sinn Feinism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Sinn Fein¹

From Irish sinn f éin “we ourselves”

Word History and Origins

Origin of Sinn Fein¹

C20: from Irish: we ourselves

Example Sentences

Sinn Fein, the political wing of the IRA as it used to quaintly be called, says Martin McGuinness will shake Queen's hand.

From The Daily Beast

The shooting is by no means over, as many of the Sinn Fein strongholds refuse to surrender.

From Project Gutenberg

But before it ceased publication the Sinn Fein Movement had been successfully inaugurated.

From Project Gutenberg

The attitude of this new republican movement to that of the previous Sinn Fein movement is clearly defined in a subsequent leader.

From Project Gutenberg

Sinn Fein continued loudly to proclaim its policy of opposition to the use of force.

From Project Gutenberg

Sinn Fein was at the time to all outward seeming an insignificant and discredited party with an impossible programme.

From Project Gutenberg