noun

twinning

TWIN-ing

Twinning (noun) means a formal link between a town or city in one country and one in another, set up to encourage cultural and business exchange. Example: “The twinning with Sarrebourg has run since 1963 and includes an annual student exchange.”

noun

A formal link between a town or city in one country and one in another, set up to encourage cultural and business exchange.

"The twinning with Sarrebourg has run since 1963 and includes an annual student exchange."

"A twinning agreement was signed by both mayors in the town hall."

The occurrence of twin births, or the rate at which they occur in a population.

"Rates of twinning have risen sharply since the spread of fertility treatment."

verb

informal in the matching-outfit sense Present participle of twin: to pair two things or places together, or to dress or appear identically to someone else.

"We're twinning today in our matching yellow raincoats."

"The scheme twins each new recruit with an experienced mentor."

How to Use Twinning

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTwo things being paired up, whether towns, outfits or babies.

When to use it

The civic sense is formal; the matching-outfit sense is playful and common among friends and on social media.

Easily confused with

pairing → matching → sister city

Common pairings

town twinning twinning agreement twinning rates we're twinning

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The _____ with Sarrebourg has run since 1963 and includes an annual student exchange.

Synonyms

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sister-city arrangement partnership pairing matching coupling

Related Words

same union marriage firm equal equivalent alliance partnership

Rhymes for twinning

inning winning sinning pinning spinning grinning thinning skinning beginning

See all rhymes for twinning →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does twinning mean when people say it about clothes?

It means two people are wearing the same or very similar outfits, usually on purpose and usually said with delight. 'We're twinning!' is a compliment, not a complaint.

What is the difference between town twinning and a sister city?

They are the same idea under different names. 'Twinning' and 'twin town' are the usual British and European terms, while 'sister city' is standard in the United States and much of Asia.

What causes twinning in births?

Identical twinning happens when a single fertilised egg splits, and its rate is roughly constant worldwide. Non-identical twinning happens when two eggs are released at once, and is influenced by maternal age, family history and fertility treatment.

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