ninepin

noun

nine·​pin ˈnīn-ˌpin How to pronounce ninepin (audio)
1
ninepins plural in form but singular in construction : a bowling game resembling tenpins played without the headpin or having the nine pins in a diamond-shaped configuration with one pin in the center
2
: a pin used in ninepins

Examples of ninepin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This includes his longtime personal assistant, his blue-collar brother and the women who fall for him like ninepins — all given vibrant life by the director, Neil Pepe, and a cast that finds the individual quirkiness in everyday stereotypes. Ben Brantley, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2016

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1580, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ninepin was circa 1580

Dictionary Entries Near ninepin

Cite this Entry

“Ninepin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ninepin. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

ninepin

noun
nine·​pin -ˌpin How to pronounce ninepin (audio)
1
plural : a bowling game resembling tenpins played without the headpin
2
: a pin used in ninepins
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!