twin

Meaning

Noun

1. Either of two people (or, less commonly, animals) who shared the same uterus at the same time; one who was born at the same birth as a sibling.
2. Either of two similar or closely related objects, entities etc.
3. A room in a hotel, guesthouse, etc. with two beds; a twin room.
4. A two-engine aircraft.
5. A twin crystal.
6. (US) A twin size mattress; or a bed designed for such a mattress.
7. (slang) A friendly term of address, typically for men.

Verb

1. (transitive) To separate, divide.
2. (intransitive) To split, part; to go away, depart.
3. (passive, usually) To join, unite; to form links between (now especially of two places in different countries); to pair with.
4. (intransitive) To give birth to twins.
5. (transitive) To be, or be like, a twin to (someone else); to match in some way.
6. (intransitive) To be, or be like, a pair of twins (for example, to dress identically); to be paired or suited.

Adj

1. (not-comparable) Double; dual; occurring as a matching pair.
2. (not-comparable) Forming a pair of twins.

Synonyms

double

twins

duplicate

couple

👫

pair

paired

parallel

dual

twinned

counterpart

twinborn

binary

match

similitude

tandem

matching

mate

🧉

identical

both

two

pair of twins

unite

joint

geminate

agemate

link

🔗

duple

duplicated

even

fake

fork

fuse

Gemini

♊

imitation

immingle

integrate

interconnect

join

junction

knit

link up

merge

mix

pair off

piece

pool

pull together

put through

put together

relate

Translations

jumeau

gemelo

Zwilling

gemello

jumelle

gêmeo

mellizo

bessó

tweeling

δίδυμος

çift

jumeaux

jumelé

δίδυμο

Pronounced as (IPA)

/twɪn/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: twinne

Inherited from Old English: ġetwin

Cognate with Scots: twyn

Cognate with Dutch: tweeling

Cognate with German: Zwilling

Cognate with Swedish: tvilling

Cognate with Faroese: tvinnur

Cognate with Icelandic: tvenna

Cognate with Lithuanian: dvynys

Cognate with Russian: двойня

Inherited from Middle English: *twin

Inherited from Old English: twin

Cognate with Icelandic: tvennur

Cognate with Gothic: 𐍄𐍅𐌴𐌹𐌷𐌽𐌰𐌹

In summary

PIE word
*dwóh₁
From Middle English twinne, twynne, from Old English ġetwin, ġetwinn (“twin, multiple”, noun) and twinn (“twin, two-fold, double, two by two”, adjective), from Proto-Germanic *twinjaz, *twinahz (“two each”), from Proto-Indo-European *dwino- (“twin”), from *dwóh₁ (“two”). Cognate with Scots twyn (“twin”), Dutch tweeling (“twin”), German Zwilling (“twin”), Danish tvilling (“twin”), Swedish tvilling (“twin”), Faroese tvinnur (“a double set”), Icelandic tvenna (“duo, pair”), Lithuanian dvynys (“twin”), Russian двойня (dvojnja, “twin”).

Sentences

Jim Broadbent had a twin sister who died at birth .