tine

American  

[tahyn] / taɪn /

especially British, tyne

noun

tines plural

1. a sharp, projecting point or prong, as of a fork.

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tine British  

/ taɪn /

noun

1. a slender prong, esp of a fork

2. any of the sharp terminal branches of a deer's antler

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• tined
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• tines
  plural

Etymology

Origin of tine

before 900; late Middle English tyne, Middle English tind, Old English; cognate with Old High German zint, Old Norse tindr

Explanation

A tine is a prong, or a point. When you were little, you may have lined up your peas on the tines of your fork despite your parents telling you not to play with your food. The tines of a fork are what make it possible to spear pieces of food with it. Other objects with similarly sharp points can also be described as having tines — like a pitchfork or the antler of a deer. The pointed end on a dental tool is also called a tine. The origins of the word tine can be traced back to the Old English tind, which means "sharp point," and is related to the German word Zinne, or "pinnacle."

Example Sentences

"The entire health system on the Sudanese side has been destabilised," said Cisse Boucari Hamadoum, MSF project coordinator in Tine.

From Barron's • Jun. 25, 2026

Tine, the former independent UN expert, said the "collapse of the Malian state" would have "catastrophic consequences" throughout the region.

From Barron's • Nov. 7, 2025

“He was carrying tools, that’s why he went totally unnoticed,” said Tine Nehler, a museum spokeswoman.

From New York Times • Apr. 10, 2024

This “is clearly a political, democratic and electoral turning point that could bring a new generation to power,” Alioune Tine, the founder of the Senegalese think tank Afrikajom Center, told The Associated Press.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 15, 2024

The new man’s name was Jan van Veen and with him came his young sister and nurse, Tine van Veen.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom