shin

¹ American  

[shin] / ʃɪn /

noun

1. the front part of the leg from the knee to the ankle.

2. the lower part of the foreleg in cattle.

3. the shinbone or tibia, especially its sharp edge or front portion.

4. Chiefly British. a cut of beef similar to the U.S. shank, usually cut into small pieces for stewing.

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verb (used with or without object)

shinned, shinning

1. to climb by holding fast with the hands or arms and legs and drawing oneself up.

shin ² American  

[sheen, shin] / ʃin, ʃɪn /

noun

1. the 21st letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

2. the consonant sound represented by this letter.

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shīn ³ American  

[sheen] / ʃin /

noun

1. the 13th letter of the Arabic alphabet.

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Shin ⁴ American  

[shin, sheen] / ʃɪn, ʃin /

noun

Buddhism.

1. a Japanese offshoot of the Pure Land Sect, requiring only faith in Amida for salvation through his accumulated merit.

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shin ¹ British  

/ ʃɪn /

noun

1. the front part of the lower leg

2. the front edge of the tibia

3. a cut of beef, the lower foreleg

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verb

1. to climb (a pole, tree, etc) by gripping with the hands or arms and the legs and hauling oneself up

2. (tr) to kick (a person) in the shins

shin ² British  

/ ʃɪn /

noun

1. the 21st letter in the Hebrew alphabet (ש), transliterated as sh

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Etymology

Origin of shin¹

before 1000; Middle English shine, Old English scinu; cognate with Dutch scheen, German Schien ( bein )

Origin of shin²

1895–1900; < Hebrew shīn, akin to shēn tooth

Origin of shīn³

From Arabic

Origin of Shin⁴

1895–1900; < Japanese: literally, faith < Middle Chinese, equivalent to Chinese zhēn truth

Example Sentences

Elvis put a shin pad under his pants leg, and I took a couple of practice shots—until he was sure I wouldn’t miss and injure him.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

In slalom, racers typically knock down gates with their arms or shins, which are protected by plastic shin guards.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 15, 2026

Researchers sampled a tibia, or shin bone, which is not commonly used for ancient DNA studies.

From Science Daily • Jan. 26, 2026

He stood shin deep with a broom and grabber tool clearing a drain while his chief of staff captured the moment.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 2, 2025

I’m so excited, I fall down again and crack another shin but I don’t even care that it hurts because I got a fish on the line.

From "The Young Man and the Sea" by Rodman Philbrick

Related Words

• tibia