tin
tihn
Tin (noun) means a soft, silvery metallic element used especially to coat steel against rust. Example: “Tin is often used to protect steel cans from rusting.”
noun
1
A soft, silvery metallic element used especially to coat steel against rust.
"Tin is often used to protect steel cans from rusting."
"Bronze is made by mixing copper with a little tin."
"The roof was made of corrugated tin."
2
A sealed metal container used to preserve food.
"He found a tin of beans at the back of the cupboard."
"Keep a spare tin of tuna in your emergency food supplies."
"She opened a tin of soup for lunch."
3
A metal pan used for baking or roasting.
"She lined the cake tin with paper before adding the mixture."
"Put the potatoes in a roasting tin and add some oil."
"Grease the tin before pouring in the cake batter."
verb
1
To seal food inside a can for preservation.
"The cannery tins fish all year round and ships it abroad."
"They tinned the surplus tomatoes so nothing went to waste."
"The factory tins thousands of peaches every summer."
How to use tin
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA metal element, or (especially in British English) a sealed food can or baking pan.
UK vs US
British English uses "tin" for what American English usually calls a "can" (of food) or "pan" (for baking).
Common pairings
tin of beans
baking tin
tin roof
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Word forms
- Plural
- tins
- Third person singular
- tins
- Past tense
- tinned
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
_____ is often used to protect steel cans from rusting.
Etymology
From Old English tin, going back to a shared Germanic word for the metal.
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “tin” mean?
The word “tin” means a soft, silvery metallic element used especially to coat steel against rust. In plain terms, a metal element, or (especially in British English) a sealed food can or baking pan.
How do you pronounce “tin”?
“Tin” is pronounced tihn (/tɪn/ in IPA).
How do you use “tin” in a sentence?
Here is “tin” used in a sentence: “The roof was made of corrugated tin.”
What is another word for “tin”?
Words with a similar meaning to “tin” include tinnen.
What part of speech is “tin”?
Depending on how it is used, “tin” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “tin” come from?
The word “tin” comes from Old English. From Old English tin, going back to a shared Germanic word for the metal.
Is “tin” a common word?
“Tin” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “tin” have?
“Tin” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a soft, silvery metallic element used especially to coat steel against rust.
What is the difference between a tin and a can?
They are the same thing: a sealed metal container used to preserve food. Tin is the usual word in British English ("a tin of beans"), while can dominates in American English; tinned food and canned food likewise mean the same.
Are tin cans actually made of tin?
Mostly not. Tin is a soft, silvery metal used especially as a thin coating over steel to stop it rusting, so a typical "tin" is steel with a protective tin layer rather than solid tin.
What is a tin in baking?
In British English, a tin is a metal pan used for baking or roasting, as in cake tin, loaf tin, and roasting tin. American English usually calls the same items pans, such as a cake pan or roasting pan.
