chine
UK[tʃaɪn]US[tʃaɪn]
n
The backbone or spine of an animal.
n
A cut of meat containing part of the backbone.
n
A ridge or crest of rock.
Etymology
The word 'chine' has a journey rooted in the anatomy of animals. It entered English in the 14th century from the Old French 'eschine', meaning 'spine' or 'back'. The ultimate origin is obscure but is often linked to a hypothetical Germanic base meaning 'split' or 'crack', a logical association with the vertebral column which appears segmented. Over time, its meaning extended from the anatomical backbone to describe a specific cut of meat containing that bone, and by topographic analogy, to a sharp ridge of land, preserving the core idea of a prominent, linear feature.
Analysis
This word is a simplex form. It entered Middle English from Old French 'eschine', which is of uncertain origin, possibly from a Germanic source related to the notion of a 'split' or 'crack', referring to the spinal column.
Examples
The butcher carefully separated the ribs from the chine.
They hiked along the steep chine that overlooked the sea.
The recipe calls for a pork roast with the chine bone removed.