Pine
/paɪn/noun
A coniferous evergreen tree with needles and cones, or to suffer or waste away from longing, grief, or illness.
Did you know?The verb *pine* for wasting away is historically separate from the tree name, and likely comes from a Latin root meaning “to torture” or “punish,” which is why old English texts use it for painful yearning.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*peie-
“To hurt, torment, or punish.”
Latin
Latin
poena
“Penalty, punishment, fine.”
Old English
OE
pinian
“To torment, afflict, or torture.”
Middle English
ME
pinen
“To suffer, languish, or waste away from grief or hardship.”
Modern English
English
pine
“To long painfully for something or to waste away physically or emotionally.”