What does "vine" mean?
Any plant whose stem requires support and which climbs by tendrils or twining.
Vine
/vaɪn/ name, noun
name, noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Any plant whose stem requires support and which climbs by tendrils or twining.
- Grammar: vine is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: algae, autophyte, bean, bittersweet.
- Useful contrasts: detach, nonclimbing plant, unwind.
- Usage evidence: You don't get eggplants from a gourd vine.
How to use "vine"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "vine" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "vine" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "vine" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "vine" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "vine" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "algae" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "vine", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Any plant whose stem requires support and which climbs by tendrils or twining.
- 2 A looping video clip of a few seconds in duration, frequently used on social media. Internet
"Vine has become a weird tiny art form with its own conventions and trends and a robust community, none of which you will probably be able to keep up with if you aren't already, but at least we can appreciate the occasional Buzzfeed^([sic]) roundup of Vines."
- 3 a plant with a weak stem that derives support from climbing, twining, or creeping along a surface wordnet
- 4 Any plant the stem of which creeps along the ground.
- 5 A stem of such plants, especially when thick and rope-like; a liana.
"This was a full-on jungle, full of all kinds of creepy things - snakes, spiders. They expected Tarzan to come swinging by on a vine."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 A climbing plant that produces grapes. UK, especially
"They picked the grapes off the vine."
- 7 Any plant of the genus Vitis.
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
- 2 An unincorporated community in Fountain County, Indiana, United States.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"You don't get eggplants from a gourd vine."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "vine"?
Common synonyms include: algae, autophyte, bean, bittersweet, bracken, brown algae.
How do you use "vine" in a sentence?
You don't get eggplants from a gourd vine.
How do you pronounce "vine"?
Pronounced /vaɪn/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English vīne, from Anglo-Norman vigne, from Vulgar Latin vīnia, from Latin vīnea (“vines in a vineyard”), from vīneus (“related to wine”), from vīnum (“wine”), from Proto-Italic *wīnom, from Proto-Indo-European *wóyh₁nom (“vine, wine”), from *weh₁y- (“to twist, wrap”). Doublet of wine.
Etymology 2
From the American short-form video hosting service Vine, active from 2012 to 2016, possibly from vine.