twin

plural twins · alternative obsolete twynne

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.

   Katie is Jessica's twin.

   2 more examples

   twin girls, twin daughters, twin sisters, twin boys, twin sons, twin brothers, twin babies, twin children

   The twins are coming over this afternoon.

   Synonyms: twindle, twinling, doublet

2. broadlyEither of two similar or closely related objects, plans, institutions, people, etc.

   Your idea is the twin of mine.

   1. broadlyfigurativelyEither of two or more things, people, etc. that share a single feature.

      He is my twin (wearing the same shirt, driving the same car, etc.).

   2. broadlyslangAfrican-American VernacularA friendly term of address, typically for men.

      Yo, twin, lemme rap at ya.

3. Contains or comprises a pair
   1. A room in a hotel, guesthouse, etc. with two beds; a twin room.
   2. chemistryA twin crystal.
   3. aeronauticsA two-engine aircraft.
4. Refers to a specific size
   1. USA twin-size mattress.
   2. USA bed, set of sheets, etc., designed for a twin-size mattress.

present singular third person twins · participle present twinning · participle past twinned · past twinned · alternative obsolete twynne

1. transitiveobsolete outside ScotlandTo separate, divide.
2. intransitiveobsolete outside ScotlandTo split, part; to go away, depart.
3. passiveusuallyTo join, unite; to form links between (now especially of two places in different countries); to pair with.

   Reading, the English town, is twinned with Clonmel in Ireland.

   3 more examples

   Coventry twinned with Dresden as an act of peace and reconciliation, both cities having been heavily bombed during the war.

   Still we moved / Together, twinned, as horse's ear and eye.

   1847, Alfred Tennyson, “Part 1”, in The Princess: A Medley, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC

   Yet, Manet heightens its effect by performing the clever ocular trick of practically twinning her with her pictorial counterpart, Madame Lejosne.

   2006, Aruna D'Souza, Tom McDonough, Tom Mc Donough, The Invisible Flâneuse?: Gender, Public Space, and Visual Culture in Nineteenth-century Paris, Manchester University Press, →ISBN, page 60

4. intransitiveTo give birth to twins.

   Twinning today is abnormal in all higher primates, and possibly adaptive only in the one species with an obstetrical technology that permits a high rate of survival of twins.

   1992, George Christopher Williams, Natural Selection: Domains, Levels, and Challenges, Oxford University Press on Demand, →ISBN, page 79

   1 more example

   “I’ve run to tell ye,” said the junior shepherd, supporting his exhausted youthful frame against the doorpost, “that you must come directly. Two more ewes have twinned — that’s what’s the matter, Shepherd Oak.”

   1874, Thomas Hardy, Far from the Madding Crowd

5. transitiveTo be, or be like, a twin to (someone else); to match in some way.

   The invert child and her innocent child are together lost children, twinning each other despite their distinctions.

   2009, Kathryn Bond Stockton, The Queer Child, or Growing Sideways in the Twentieth Century, Duke University Press, →ISBN, page 111

   1 more example

   I was awake to the horror of our twinning each other in paralysis, and feared that we would soon talk only about the daily, intimate care serious paralysis demands […]

   2017, Christina Crosby, A Body, Undone: Living On After Great Pain, NYU Press, →ISBN, page 111

6. intransitiveTo be, or be like, a pair of twins (for example, to dress identically); to be paired or suited.

   Simon Porte Jacquemus Twins With His Grandmother at the 2026 Met Gala [title]

   2026 May 4, Marie Courtois, “Simon Porte Jacquemus Twins With His Grandmother at the 2026 Met Gala”, in Vogue

   2 more examples

   “I see you got us twinning today.” Byrd kissed Lay quickly. “I wanted you to dress like me today,” he admitted.

   2018, Vivian Blue, Your Heart Is Mine: A Criminal Romance, Sullivan Group Publishing, →ISBN

   “We're totally twinning today!” said Zoey. “You sure are,” said Chef Piper. “I whipped up a special dessert for tonight.”

   2019, Lisa Mullarkey, Paisley, ABDO, →ISBN, page 17

alternative obsolete twynne

1. not comparableDouble; dual; occurring as a matching pair.

   twin beds, twin socks

2. not comparableForming a pair of twins.

   the twin boys

   Synonyms: twofold

plural Twins

1. ball gamesA player who plays for the Minnesota Twins.

1. A town in Marion County, Alabama.