din

¹ American  

[din] / dɪn /

noun

1. a loud, confused noise; a continued loud or tumultuous sound; noisy clamor.

   Synonyms:

   uproar

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verb (used with object)

dinned, dinning

1. to assail with din.

2. to sound or utter with clamor or persistent repetition.

verb (used without object)

dinned, dinning

1. to make a din.

din ² American  

[din, deen] / dɪn, din /

Also deen

noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. religion, especially the religious observances of a Muslim.

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DIN ³ American  

abbreviation

Photography.

1. a designation, originating in Germany, of the speed of a particular film emulsion.

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Din. ⁴ American  

abbreviation

1. (in Serbia and Macedonia) dinar; dinars.

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din ¹ British  

/ dɪn /

noun

1. a loud discordant confused noise

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verb

1. to instil (into a person) by constant repetition

2. (tr) to subject to a din

3. (intr) to make a din

DIN ² British  

/ dɪn /

noun

1. a formerly used logarithmic expression of the speed of a photographic film, plate, etc, given as –10log 10 E, where E is the exposure of a point 0.1 density units above the fog level; high-speed films have high numbers Compare ISO rating

2. a system of standard plugs, sockets, and cables formerly used for interconnecting domestic audio and video equipment

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din ³ British  

/ dɪn /

noun

1. a particular religious law; the halacha about something

2. the ruling of a Beth Din or religious court

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Din. ⁴ British  

abbreviation

1. dinar

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din ⁵ British  

/ diːn /

noun

1. Islam religion in general, esp the beliefs and obligations of Islam

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Related Words

See noise.

Etymology

Origin of din¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English din(e) (noun), Old English dyne, dynn; cognate with Old Norse dynr “noise,” Old High German tuni, Sanskrit dhuni “roaring”

Origin of din²

From Arabic dīn “religion,” from Persian dēn

Origin of DIN³

First recorded in 1930–35; from German D(eutsche) I(ndustrie) N(ormen) “German industrial standards” (later construed as Das ist Norm “that is (the) standard”), registered mark of the German Institute for Standardization

Explanation

Walk into the average school cafeteria at lunchtime, and you'll get a good sense of what a din is — loud, confused, continuous, generally unpleasant, and often potentially headache-inducing noise. Who knew noise pollution was a problem in ancient times? Humans have been experiencing loud, sustained, annoying sounds for centuries, judging by the etymology of the word din. It traces its roots back to Old English dyne or dynn, which had the same meaning as din does today, only with a different pronunciation. Before that, it popped up in Old Norse as dynr and meant to "come rumbling down" — fitting, from the language that gave us Thor, the God of Thunder.

Example Sentences

Previously you struggled to find a place to escape the din.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

In the more upmarket north of Tehran, many residents appeared to have left, with the meowing of cats and birdsong replacing the usual din of traffic jams.

From Barron's • Mar. 3, 2026

Many of Mr. Powell’s political problems arise from this constant din of Fed chatter.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026

Unfortunately, the shattering beauty of the music is sometimes swallowed in the devilish din.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 3, 2026

Imagine the din and commotion, the clutter of machinery, that would be needed for a fire department to raise a similar volume of water.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson