Shin
/ʃɪn/noun
The front part of the leg between the knee and the ankle.
Did you know?Shin is one of those old Germanic body words that stayed close to its original meaning for centuries, surviving through everyday speech while many fancier anatomical terms came later.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʰey-
“to shine, gleam, or be bright”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*skīnaną
“to shine, gleam”
Old English
OE
scinu
“the shin, lower leg”
Middle English
ME
shin(e)
“the front of the leg below the knee”
Modern English
English
shin
“the front part of the leg between the knee and the ankle”