sin

Etymology 1

From Middle English sinne, synne, sunne, zen, from Old English synn (“sin”), from Proto-West Germanic *sunnju, from Proto-Germanic *sunjō (“truth, excuse”) and *sundī, *sundijō (“sin”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁s-ónt-ih₂, from *h₁sónts ("being, true", implying a verdict of "truly guilty" against an accusation or charge), from *h₁es- (“to be”); compare Old English sōþ ("true"; see sooth). Doublet of suttee. Cognates Cognate with Scots syn, sin (“sin”), Saterland Frisian Säände (“sin”), West Frisian sûnde (“sin”), Dutch zonde (“sin”), Low German sunn, sunne (“sin”), German Sünde (“sin”), Danish synd (“sin”), Swedish synd (“sin”), Icelandic synð, synd (“sin”), Latin sont-, sons (“sinful, guilty, criminal”). Doublet of suttee.

noun

1. (theology) A violation of God's will or religious law.
   As a Christian, I think this is a sin against God.
   Slavery, according to them, was a grievous sin against God, and therefore no human Constitution could rightfully shield it from destruction. It was sinful to live in a political confederacy which tolerated slavery in any of the States composing it;[…] 1866, James Buchanan, Mr. Buchanan's Administration on the Eve of the Rebellion, New York: D. Appleton and Company, →OCLC, →OL, page 9
2. Sinfulness, depravity, iniquity.
3. A misdeed or wrong.
4. A sin offering; a sacrifice for sin.
5. An embodiment of sin; a very wicked person.
6. A flaw or mistake.
   No movie is without sin.

verb

1. (intransitive, theology) To commit a sin.

Etymology 2

Modification of shin.

noun

1. A letter of the Hebrew alphabet; שׂ
2. A letter of the Arabic alphabet; س

Etymology 3

noun

1. Alternative form of sinh (“tube skirt”)