din

¹ American  

[din] / dɪn /

noun

1. a loud, confused noise; a continued loud or tumultuous sound; noisy clamor.

   Synonyms:

   uproar

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verb (used with object)

dinned, dinning

1. to assail with din.

2. to sound or utter with clamor or persistent repetition.

verb (used without object)

dinned, dinning

1. to make a din.

din ² American  

[din, deen] / dɪn, din /

Also deen

noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. religion, especially the religious observances of a Muslim.

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DIN ³ American  

abbreviation

Photography.

1. a designation, originating in Germany, of the speed of a particular film emulsion.

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Din. ⁴ American  

abbreviation

1. (in Serbia and Macedonia) dinar; dinars.

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din ¹ British  

/ dɪn /

noun

1. a loud discordant confused noise

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verb

1. to instil (into a person) by constant repetition

2. (tr) to subject to a din

3. (intr) to make a din

DIN ² British  

/ dɪn /

noun

1. a formerly used logarithmic expression of the speed of a photographic film, plate, etc, given as –10log 10 E, where E is the exposure of a point 0.1 density units above the fog level; high-speed films have high numbers Compare ISO rating

2. a system of standard plugs, sockets, and cables formerly used for interconnecting domestic audio and video equipment

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din ³ British  

/ dɪn /

noun

1. a particular religious law; the halacha about something

2. the ruling of a Beth Din or religious court

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Din. ⁴ British  

abbreviation

1. dinar

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din ⁵ British  

/ diːn /

noun

1. Islam religion in general, esp the beliefs and obligations of Islam

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Related Words

See noise.

Etymology

Origin of din¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English din(e) (noun), Old English dyne, dynn; cognate with Old Norse dynr “noise,” Old High German tuni, Sanskrit dhuni “roaring”

Origin of din²

From Arabic dīn “religion,” from Persian dēn

Origin of DIN³

First recorded in 1930–35; from German D(eutsche) I(ndustrie) N(ormen) “German industrial standards” (later construed as Das ist Norm “that is (the) standard”), registered mark of the German Institute for Standardization

Explanation

Walk into the average school cafeteria at lunchtime, and you'll get a good sense of what a din is — loud, confused, continuous, generally unpleasant, and often potentially headache-inducing noise. Who knew noise pollution was a problem in ancient times? Humans have been experiencing loud, sustained, annoying sounds for centuries, judging by the etymology of the word din. It traces its roots back to Old English dyne or dynn, which had the same meaning as din does today, only with a different pronunciation. Before that, it popped up in Old Norse as dynr and meant to "come rumbling down" — fitting, from the language that gave us Thor, the God of Thunder.

Example Sentences

"With these costs, I'm going to have to ask for more money from customers" for the ride, said Marcel, amid the habitual din of engines and horns blaring in the Kinshasa sunshine.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

Though they sometimes escalate into larger-scale military drills, these maneuvers, which once dominated news headlines, quieted to a din as they became routine.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 15, 2026

Amid the debate’s dodging, weaving, yammering and spicy back-and-forth, there were a few moments when the candidates rose above the din.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 4, 2026

But, it's also about arresting a run of two straight defeats for new Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy with the deafening din of fan unrest bellowing towards the club's board.

From BBC • Dec. 14, 2025

That new sound, the marching, was distinct from the rest of the city’s morning din.

From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray