tin

[/tɪn/]
noun/adjectivepl: tins
estanho (metal); lata (container)
1. A soft, silvery-white metallic element used in alloys and coatings
Tin is often used to coat steel cans to prevent rust.
O estanho é frequentemente usado para revestir latas de aço para evitar ferrugem.
2. A metal container, typically cylindrical, used for storing food or other items
She opened a tin of biscuits for the party.
Ela abriu uma lata de biscoitos para a festa.
3. Made of or containing tin; cheap or of inferior quality (informal, derogatory)
That's a tin performance compared to his usual standard.
Esse é um desempenho ruim comparado ao seu padrão habitual.
In Brazilian Portuguese, 'lata' is the everyday word for tin cans, especially in food contexts. The metal 'estanho' is more technical. In American English, 'can' is preferred over 'tin,' though 'tin' is standard in British English. The phrase 'tin ear' is culturally significant in music and arts criticism in English-speaking countries.
NYC Slang
can; cheap/junky (informal)
Synonyms / Sinônimos
can (container)containerreceptacle

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
lata; estanho
Lata for container, estanho for the metal element
São Paulo
lata
Commonly used for tin cans in informal speech
Portugal
lata; estanho
Similar usage to Brazilian Portuguese; also 'lataria' for tinware
Rio de Janeiro
lata
Standard usage for containers

Related Words

tinplatetinfoiltinsmithtinnypewtersolder

Related Idioms & Phrases

tin ear - falta de sensibilidade musical ou artística
tin god - pessoa que se acha importante mas não é
not worth a tin of beans - não vale nada
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →