pinion

[ pin-yuhn ]

/ ˈpɪn yən /

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See synonyms for: pinion / pinioned / pinioning / pinions on Thesaurus.com

noun

Machinery.

a gear with a small number of teeth, especially one engaging with a rack or larger gear.
a shaft or spindle cut with teeth engaging with a gear.

Metalworking. a gear driving a roll in a rolling mill.

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Origin of pinion

1650–60; <French pignon cogwheel, Middle French peignon, derivative of peigne comb, variant of pigne<Latin pectin- (stem of pecten) comb; see pecten

OTHER WORDS FROM pinion

pin·ion·less, adjectivepin·ion·like, adjective

Other definitions for pinion (2 of 2)

pinion²

[ pin-yuhn ]

/ ˈpɪn yən /

noun

the distal or terminal segment of the wing of a bird consisting of the carpus, metacarpus, and phalanges.

the wing of a bird.

a feather.

the flight feathers collectively.

verb (used with object)

to cut off the pinion of (a wing) or bind (the wings), as in order to prevent a bird from flying.

to disable or restrain (a bird) in such a manner.

to bind (a person's arms or hands) so they cannot be used.

to disable (someone) in such a manner; shackle.

to bind or hold fast, as to a thing: to be pinioned to one's bad habits.

Origin of pinion

1400–50; late Middle English pynyon<Middle French pignon wing, pinion <Vulgar Latin *pinniōn (stem of pinniō), derivative of Latin pinna feather, wing, fin

OTHER WORDS FROM pinion

un·pin·ioned, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use pinion in a sentence

Its horn blared ceaselessly, jammed by the dead body of the driver, Henri Paul, pinioned on the steering column by the impact.
Tina Brown: No, Conspiracy Theorists, Princess Diana Was Not Murdered|Tina Brown|August 19, 2013|DAILY BEAST
For one moment Richard pondered whether he could leap into the water, and drift down-stream with his arms pinioned.
God Wills It!|William Stearns Davis
In a moment Billy was pinioned to the floor, and Black Hank was rubbing his abraded fore-arm.
Blazed Trail Stories|Stewart Edward White
But when he stood beneath the cross-arm to be pinioned, his legs played him traitor.
From Place to Place|Irvin S. Cobb

A hollow murmur ran over the crowd like a wave as the gaol doors swung open and the prisoners appeared, pinioned.
A Frontier Mystery|Bertram Mitford
But The Parrot's big grip closed quietly around his wrist at the last offering and pinioned him and held him helpless.
Where the Pavement Ends|John Russell

British Dictionary definitions for pinion (1 of 2)

pinion¹

/ (ˈpɪnjən) /

noun

mainly poetic a bird's wing

the part of a bird's wing including the flight feathers

verb (tr)

to hold or bind (the arms) of (a person) so as to restrain or immobilize him

to confine or shackle

to make (a bird) incapable of flight by removing that part of (the wing) from which the flight feathers grow

Word Origin for pinion

C15: from Old French pignon wing, from Latin pinna wing

British Dictionary definitions for pinion (2 of 2)

pinion²

/ (ˈpɪnjən) /

noun

a cogwheel that engages with a larger wheel or rack, which it drives or by which it is driven

Word Origin for pinion

C17: from French pignon cogwheel, from Old French peigne comb, from Latin pecten comb; see pecten

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

pinion

Origin of pinion

OTHER WORDS FROM pinion

Other definitions for pinion (2 of 2)

Origin of pinion

OTHER WORDS FROM pinion

Words related to pinion

How to use pinion in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for pinion (1 of 2)

Word Origin for pinion

British Dictionary definitions for pinion (2 of 2)

Word Origin for pinion