a HackerNoon project
Original · left

Pin (sewing)

A slender, sharp-pointed piece of brass or steel used to secure fabric patterns together.

First in use: ancient / pre-modern
Duplicate · right

Pin (UI)

Fastening an application icon, browser tab, or message to the top of an interface for permanent visibility.

First in use: the 2000s

Pin / Pin (sewing) / Pin (UI)

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Canonical todayMeasuring…
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Duplicate share · 12 mo—
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Colour keyGrey · original meaningGreen · duplicate meaningAmber · contested (40–60%)How colours work

Sewing pins vs. pinned tabs.

Which meaning of Pin is the original, and which one is the duplicate riding on its name? Pin (sewing) came first (ancient / pre-modern). Pin (UI) arrived in the 2000s. The data below shows which one owns the word now.

Wikipedia pageviews since 2015

Pin (sewing)Pin (UI)
English Wikipedia pageviews since July 2015 load here.

Duplicate's share of attention

Green line = duplicate's % · above 60 it owns the word · below 40 the original does

Share-of-attention line loads here.

The case for each meaning

Sourced definitions, usage stats and quotes

Original · ancient / pre-modern

Pin (sewing)

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Duplicate · the 2000s

Pin (UI)

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More duplicated terms

Design & UX