shiner

noun

shin·​er ˈshī-nər How to pronounce shiner (audio)
1
: one that shines
2
: a silvery fish
especially : any of numerous small freshwater American cyprinid fishes (especially genus Notropis) compare golden shiner
3
: black eye sense 1

Examples of shiner in a Sentence

He got a shiner during a fight at school.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The goaltender watched in the press box on Sunday and has a pretty nice shiner. — Josh Yohe, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2026 The majority of fish killed were minnows, shiners, chubs, and dace. — Cami Koons, Iowa Capital Dispatch, 10 Feb. 2026 Beyond the bait-shop fathead lies a whole world of minnows, including shiners, dace and chub. — Chad Mason, Outdoor Life, 3 June 2026 Josh notices Oliver icing his eye and comments on the shiner. — Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 22 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for shiner

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shiner was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing shiner

Rhymes for shiner

See All Rhymes for shiner

Browse Nearby Words

shine ball
shiner
shine through
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shiner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shiner. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

shiner

noun
shin·​er ˈshī-nər How to pronounce shiner (audio)
1
: one that shines
2
: a silvery fish
especially : any of numerous small freshwater American fishes related to the carp
3
: black eye

Medical Definition

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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