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Synonyms

bin

1 American  
[bin] / bɪn /

noun

  1. a box or enclosed place for storing grain, coal, or the like.

verb (used with object)

binned, binning

  1. to store in a bin.

bin- 2 American  

  1. a combining form meaning “two,” “two at a time,” used in the formation of compound words.

    binary; binocular.
bin 1 British  
/ bɪn /

noun

  1. a large container or enclosed space for storing something in bulk, such as coal, grain, or wool

  2. Also called: bread bin.  a small container for bread

  3. Also called: dustbin.   rubbish bin.  a container for litter, rubbish, etc

    1. a storage place for bottled wine

    2. one particular bottling of wine

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. (tr) to store in a bin

  2. (tr) to put in a wastepaper bin

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
bin- 2 British  

prefix

  1. a variant, esp before a vowel, of bi- 1

    binocular
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What does bin- mean? Bin- is a combining form used like a prefix, and it means “two” or “two at a time.” While it appears in a variety of scientific terms, it’s also easily recognizable in everyday terms.Bin- comes from the Latin bīnī, meaning “two each” or “by twos.”Bin- is related to the combining form bi- and is used with some words or word elements beginning with vowels. These two forms have similar origins, and for that reason, the difference between the two is a small yet important nuance: bin- tends to mean “double,” while bi- often means “twice.” Want to know more? Read our Words That Use bi- article.

Other Word Forms

  • unbinned adjective

Etymology

Origin of bin1

before 950; Middle English binne, Old English binn ( e ) crib, perhaps < Celtic; compare Welsh benn cart

Origin of bin-2

Combining form of Latin bīnī two each, by twos

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had set attacks on the kingdom’s oil facilities as a red line, Saudi officials said.

From The Wall Street Journal

When it’s time to mail the Cloud Report, Hill stacks around 2,000 copies into clear plastic bins she picked up from the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal

Former president Barack Obama released a Situation Room view when Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed in a US special forces raid in Pakistan in 2011.

From Barron's

Infantino only moved clear when the 34 votes originally cast for Jordan's Prince Ali bin al-Hussein and French executive Jerome Champagne were reallocated.

From BBC

General waste for Jackie's flat is sent down a chute into a large container in the bin store at one corner of the block.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.