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DictionarytinePointed prong
noun

tine

TYNE/taɪn/

A slender pointed prong on a fork, antler, or tool.

This garden fork has four slender metal tines with pointed tips.

Close view of a garden fork's four distinct metal tines.
Etymology
tineOld Englishspike, prong

Old English tind covered spikes, beaks, and fork prongs. The shared image is a sharp projection, which also connects the tool sense with the word’s use for an antler branch.

More examples

  • One tine on my dinner fork is bent.
  • The deer has three tines on each antler.
  • A broken tine makes the rake less effective.

Forms

tine · tines

Similar words

prong
A broader term for a projecting point or branch.
tooth
Often a cutting or gripping projection along an edge.