Pirns

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of spindle used in textile manufacturing for winding thread or yarn
2. A lightweight tool specifically designed for holding and spinning fibers into continuous strands
3. An essential component in the process of creating textiles, aiding in the preparation of yarn for weaving or knitting

Etymology: "Pirns" is the plural of "pirn," a spindle used in textile manufacturing to wind thread or yarn. The word's origin is uncertain, but it is perhaps related to "prin," meaning a twig or shoot, which is a variant of "prene," a spike or nail. That word comes from Old English "preon," and ultimately from a Proto-Germanic root meaning a knitting needle. The link between a sharp pin and a wound spindle makes sense once you picture the tool: a slender pointed shaft on which yarn was wrapped. The earlier sense of a pointed peg or needle is still visible in the object's basic form.

Synonyms: bobbin, spools