Tine
/taɪn/noun
A sharp point or prong, especially on a fork or antler.
Did you know?Tine is related to words for teeth and points in old Germanic languages, showing how humans have long used the same root for both biting and branching shapes.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*deh₃-
“to bite, bite into”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*tēnô
“tooth, prong, spike”
Old English
OE
tān
“a prong, tine, or forked point”
Middle English
ME
tyne
“a prong or point”
Modern English
English
tine
“a sharp prong, especially of a fork or antler”