How to pronounce pin
Say it like PIN. Pin is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce pin. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PIN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Pin pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PINSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of pin
American and British speakers say pin in essentially the same way: /pɪn/ in the US and /pɪn/ in the UK.
British respelling: PIN.
What does pin mean?
- to hold fast or prevent from moving“The child was pinned under the fallen tree”
- attach or fasten with pins“pin the needle to the shirt”
- pierce with a pin“pin down the butterfly”
- a piece of jewelry that is pinned onto the wearer's garment
- when a wrestler's shoulders are forced to the mat
- small markers inserted into a surface to mark scores or define locations etc.
Where does pin come from?
No relation to classical Latin pinna (“fin, flipper, wing-like appendage, wing, feather”), which was extended to mean "ridge, peak, point" (compare pinnacle), and often confused with Latin penna (“wing, feather”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with pin
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of pin.
Questions about saying pin
How do you pronounce pin?
Say PIN. The American pronunciation is /pɪn/. In British English it is /pɪn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in pin?
Pin is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: PIN.
Do Americans and Brits say pin the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /pɪn/ and the British form is /pɪn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.