pine

¹ American  

[pahyn] / paɪn /

noun

1. any evergreen, conifer of the genus Pinus, having long, needle-shaped leaves, certain species of which yield timber, turpentine, tar, pitch, etc.

2. any of various similar coniferous trees.

3. the wood of the pine tree.

4. Informal. the pineapple.

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pine ² American  

[pahyn] / paɪn /

verb (used without object)

pined, pining

1. to yearn deeply; suffer with longing; long painfully (often followed byfor ).

   to pine for one's home and family.

2. to fail gradually in health or vitality from grief, regret, or longing (often followed byaway ).

   Separated by their families, the lovers pined away.

   Synonyms:

   waste, droop, languish, decline, dwindle

3. Archaic. to be discontented; fret.

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verb (used with object)

pined, pining

1. Archaic. to suffer grief or regret over.

noun

1. Archaic. painful longing.

pine ¹ British  

/ paɪn /

noun

1. any evergreen resinous coniferous tree of the genus Pinus, of the N hemisphere, with long needle-shaped leaves and brown cones: family Pinaceae See also longleaf pine nut pine pitch pine Scots pine

2. any other tree or shrub of the family Pinaceae

3. the wood of any of these trees

4. any of various similar but unrelated plants, such as ground pine and screw pine

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pine ² British  

/ paɪn /

verb

1. (intr; often foll by for or an infinitive) to feel great longing or desire; yearn

2. to become ill, feeble, or thin through worry, longing, etc

3. archaic (tr) to mourn or grieve for

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Pine ³ British  

/ paɪn /

noun

1. Courtney. born 1964, British jazz saxophonist and clarinettist

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Related Words

See yearn.

Other Word Forms

• pinelike adjective

Etymology

Origin of pine¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English pin(e), pigne, Old English pīntrēow “pine tree,” from Old French pin and Latin pīnus

Origin of pine²

First recorded before 900; Middle English pinen “to torture, torment, inflict pain, be in pain”; Old English pīnian “to torture,” derivative of pīn “torture” ( Middle English pine ), from Late Latin pēna, Latin poena “punishment”; pain

Explanation

If you pine for someone, you desperately want to see them, be with them, or perhaps smother them with kisses. If you're texting your ex-boyfriend over 50 times a day, there's a pretty good chance that you still pine for him. In Old English, pine meant "to torture or cause to experience pain," which seems quite fitting if you've known what it's like to pine for something or someone. The verb pine should not be confused with the noun pine, as in the evergreen tree. If you are from the Northeast and find yourself living in the Caribbean, you may pine for the sight of a pine tree, but the lovely weather should ease the pain.

Example Sentences

The Montana ranch where he lives now, surrounded by fir and pine trees, the shadows of the Bitterroots and silence, is the perfect retirement home, although it’s one Vachon found more by accident than design.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

Conservationists say pine martens are "doing well" after being being reintroduced to parts of south-west England.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

Starting Thursday afternoon and lasting throughout the night, chirps could be heard coming from one of the avian couple’s two eggs, perched high in a Jeffrey pine overlooking Big Bear Lake.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

Kernow Conservation said pine martens' "gradual recovery across the UK means moments like this could become more common, but seeing one here, now, is something truly special".

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

He was so good that he could look at an entire oak, pine, or even a chestnut tree, and tell you how many logs it would yield once it had been cut down.

From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson

Related Words

• ache
• crave
• grieve
• hanker
• mourn
• yearn