What does seine mean?
A seine is a fishing net designed to be set across a body of water and pulled in, enclosing fish before they can escape. It differs from many ordinary nets because it is large and is operated by a crew working from boats or the shore. Seine fishing has long been associated with coastal communities and is especially associated with salmon fisheries, although the net can be used for other species. The word can also function as a verb, meaning to catch fish with a seine. In a different sense, Seine is the name of the river that runs through Paris and continues northward to the English Channel. For most general readers, however, seine primarily denotes the fishing net rather than the river.
A large fishing net set in the water and drawn in toward the boat or shore to enclose and catch fish.
"The fishermen cast the seine and hauled it back to shore."
The word is most often used in fishing and coastal contexts.
To fish using a seine, or to catch fish with a seine.
"They seined the shallows for hours."
This verb is much less common than the noun and is chiefly used in fishing contexts.
The Seine, a river in northern France that flows through Paris and eventually reaches the English Channel.
"The Seine passes beneath many bridges in central Paris."
This sense is normally written with a capital S.
The plural is chiefly used when referring to multiple fishing nets or seine-fishing operations.
"The harbor was filled with seines ready for the morning tide."
From an Old English word meaning “net,” seine preserves a long history of fishing methods that stretch across the Atlantic and into northern Europe.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does seine come from?
The word descends from Old English segn, meaning “net,” and is cognate with Dutch zegen and German seine. Its deeper origin is uncertain, though it is commonly connected with Latin sagena, a fishing net borrowed from Greek hágēnē. The modern English word developed through Middle English forms such as seyne and now retains the long-established sense of a net drawn to capture fish.
Related word forms
How seine is actually used
In fishing contexts, seine is primarily a noun. The verb form, meaning to fish using a seine, is relatively uncommon. Capitalization distinguishes the common noun from the French river name.
Easily confused with seine
A seine is a fishing net, whereas a sign is a written or symbolic indication of something.