Pin vs. Pit: What's the Difference?

By Janet White & Harlon Moss || Updated on May 20, 2024

"Pin" is a small, pointed object used to fasten or attach, while "pit" refers to a large hole in the ground or the stone inside a fruit.

Key Differences

"Pin" is a noun that refers to a small, pointed piece of metal used for fastening or attaching items together. Pins can be used in various contexts, such as sewing, where they hold fabric pieces together, or in offices, where they attach papers to bulletin boards. "Pit" has several meanings, primarily referring to a large hole in the ground, which can be natural or man-made.

Pins are small and functional, often used in everyday tasks for attaching or holding things together temporarily. Pits, in contrast, can be significant structures (holes) or parts of fruits that need to be removed before eating.

In terms of physical characteristics, pins are slender and sharp, designed to pierce materials with ease. Pits are typically hard and round, found at the center of certain fruits or as large depressions in the ground.

While pins are associated with precision and utility in crafts and offices, pits often signify obstacles or challenges, either as literal holes or in the context of fruit preparation.

Comparison Chart

Definition (noun)

Small, pointed metal object for fastening

Large hole or fruit stone

Usage

Fastening fabrics, papers, or materials

Describes holes or stones in fruits

Physical Form

Slender, sharp metal piece

Hard, round stone or large hole

Common Contexts

Sewing, office work, crafts

Landscaping, fruit preparation, geology

Verb Form

To fasten or attach with a pin

To remove the stone from a fruit

Pin and Pit Definitions

A device for attaching papers to a bulletin board.

He pinned the notice to the board in the break room.

Pit

A pockmark or small indentation.

The old mirror had a few pits and scratches on its surface.

A short metal rod used in various applications.

The safety pin kept the torn seam from opening further.

Pit

A natural or artificial hole or cavity in the ground.

A personal identification number used in digital security.

Enter your PIN to access the account.

Pit

An excavation for the removal of mineral deposits; a mine.

A short, straight, stiff piece of wire with a blunt head and a sharp point, used especially for fastening.

Pit

The shaft of a mine.

Something, such as a safety pin, that resembles such a piece of wire in shape or use.

Pit

A concealed hole in the ground used as a trap; a pitfall.

A whit; a jot

Didn't care a pin about the matter.

Pit

A small indentation in a surface

Pits in a windshield.

A thin rod for securing the ends of fractured bones.

Pit

A natural hollow or depression in the body or an organ.

A peg for fixing the crown to the root of a tooth.

Pit

A small indented scar left in the skin by smallpox or other eruptive disease; a pockmark.

A cotter pin.

Pit

(Zoology) Either of a pair of depressions between the nostril and the eye of a pit viper that contain heat-sensing organs.

The part of a key stem entering a lock.

Pit

(Botany) A cavity in the wall of a plant cell where there is no secondary wall, as in fibers, tracheids, and vessel elements.

(Music) One of the pegs securing the strings and regulating their tension on a stringed instrument.

Pit

(Informal) An armpit.

(Nautical) A belaying pin.

Pit

An enclosed, usually sunken area in which animals, such as dogs or gamecocks, are placed for fighting.

(Nautical) A thole pin.

Pit

The section directly in front of and below the stage of a theater, in which the musicians sit.

An ornament fastened to clothing by means of a clasp.

Pit

Chiefly British The ground floor of a theater behind the stalls.

A rolling pin.

Pit

The section of an exchange where trading in a specific commodity is carried on.

One of the wooden clubs at which the ball is aimed in bowling.

Pit

The gambling area of a casino.

A flagstick.

Pit

A sunken area in a garage floor from which mechanics may work on cars.

See fall.

Pit

Often pits(Sports) An area beside an auto racecourse where cars may be refueled or serviced during a race

Pulled into the pits to have the tires rotated.

Pins(Informal) The legs

Is steady on his pins.

Pit

Hell. Used with the.

(Electronics) A lead on a device that plugs into a socket to connect the device to a system.

Pit

A miserable or depressing place or situation.

Any of the pegs on the platen of a printer, which engage holes at the edges of paper.

Pit

Pits(Slang) The worst. Used with the

"New York politics are the pits" (Washington Star).

Any of the styluses that form a dot matrix on a printer.

Pit

(Football) The middle areas of the defensive and offensive lines.

Any of the small metal prongs at the end of a connector that fit into the holes in a port.

Pit

The single central kernel or stone of certain fruits, such as a peach or cherry.

To fasten or secure with or as if with a pin or pins.

Pit

To mark with cavities, depressions, or scars

A surface pitted with craters.

To transfix.

Pit

To set in direct opposition or competition

A war that pitted brother against brother.

To place in a position of trusting dependence

He pinned his faith on an absurdity.

Pit

To place, bury, or store in a pit.

To hold fast; immobilize

He was pinned under the wreckage of the truck.

Pit

To become marked with pits.

(Sports) To win a fall from in wrestling.

Pit

To retain an impression after being indented. Used of the skin.

To give (a woman) a fraternity pin in token of attachment.

Pit

To stop at a refueling area during an auto race.

Having a grain suggestive of the heads of pins. Used of leather.

Pit

To extract the pit from (a fruit).

A needle without an eye (usually) made of drawn-out steel wire with one end sharpened and the other flattened or rounded into a head, used for fastening.

Pit

A hole in the ground.

The meadow around the town is full of old pits.

A small nail with a head and a sharp point.

Pit

(motor racing) An area at a racetrack used for refueling and repairing the vehicles during a race.

Two drivers have already gone into the pit this early in the race.

A cylinder often of wood or metal used to fasten or as a bearing between two parts.

Pull the pin out of the grenade before throwing it at the enemy.

Pit

(music) A section of the marching band containing mallet percussion instruments and other large percussion instruments too large to march, such as the tam tam. Also, the area on the sidelines where these instruments are placed.

The victory condition of holding the opponent's shoulders on the wrestling mat for a prescribed period of time.

Pit

A mine.

A slender object specially designed for use in a specific game or sport, such as skittles or bowling.

Pit

(archaeology) A hole or trench in the ground, excavated according to grid coordinates, so that the provenance of any feature observed and any specimen or artifact revealed may be established by precise measurement.

A leg.

I'm not so good on my pins these days.

Pit

(trading) A trading pit.

(electricity) Any of the individual connecting elements of a multipole electrical connector.

The UK standard connector for domestic mains electricity has three pins.

Pit

The bottom part of something.

I felt pain in the pit of my stomach.

A piece of jewellery that is attached to clothing with a pin.

Pit

(colloquial) Armpit.

(US) A simple accessory that can be attached to clothing with a pin or fastener, often round and bearing a design, logo or message, and used for decoration, identification or to show political affiliation, etc.

Pit

(aviation) A luggage hold.

(chess) Either a scenario in which moving a lesser piece to escape from attack would expose a more valuable piece to being taken instead, or one where moving a piece is impossible as it would place the king in check.

Pit

(countable) A small surface hole or depression, a fossa.

(golf) The flagstick: the flag-bearing pole which marks the location of a hole

Pit

The indented mark left by a pustule, as in smallpox.

(curling) The spot at the exact centre of the house (the target area)

The shot landed right on the pin.

Pit

The grave, underworld or Hell.

(archery) The spot at the exact centre of the target, originally a literal pin that fastened the target in place.

Pit

An enclosed area into which gamecocks, dogs, and other animals are brought to fight, or where dogs are trained to kill rats.

(obsolete) A mood, a state of being.

Pit

Formerly, that part of a theatre, on the floor of the house, below the level of the stage and behind the orchestra; now, in England, commonly the part behind the stalls; in the United States, the parquet; also, the occupants of such a part of a theatre.

One of a row of pegs in the side of an ancient drinking cup to mark how much each person should drink.

Pit

(gambling) Part of a casino which typically holds tables for blackjack, craps, roulette, and other games.

Caligo.

Pit

(slang) A mosh pit.

Because the museum was closed for renovation, the school decided to bring its fourth-graders to the pit at a Cannibal Corpse gig instead.

A thing of small value; a trifle.

Pit

(American football) The center of the line.

A peg in musical instruments for increasing or relaxing the tension of the strings.

Pit

(hospital slang) The emergency department.

(engineering) A short shaft, sometimes forming a bolt, a part of which serves as a journal.

Pit

A bed.

The tenon of a dovetail joint.

Pit

(informal) An undesirable location, especially an unclean one.

This house is a total pit. We've got to get out of here!

Get back to the pit, dish bitch!

A size of brewery cask, equal to half a firkin, or eighth of a barrel.

Pit

A seed inside a fruit; a stone or pip inside a fruit.

(informal) A pinball machine.

I spent most of my time in the arcade playing pins.

Pit

A shell in a drupe containing a seed.

(locksmithing) A small cylindrical object which blocks the rotation of a pin-tumbler lock when the incorrect key is inserted.

Pit

(military) The core of an implosion nuclear weapon, consisting of the fissile material and any neutron reflector or tamper bonded to it.

(often followed by a preposition such as "to" or "on") To fasten or attach (something) with a pin.

Pit

(informal) A pit bull terrier.

To cause (a piece) to be in a pin.

Pit

(transitive) To make pits in; to mark with little hollows.

Exposure to acid rain pitted the metal.

(wrestling) To pin down (someone).

He pinned his opponent on the mat.

Pit

(transitive) To put (an animal) into a pit for fighting.

To enclose; to confine; to pen; to pound.

Pit

(transitive) To bring (something) into opposition with something else.

Are you ready to pit your wits against one of the world's greatest puzzles?

To attach (an icon, application, message etc.) to another item so that it persists.

To pin a folder to the taskbar

Pit

To return to the pits during a race for refuelling, tyre changes, repairs etc.

To fix (an array in memory, a security certificate, etc.) so that it cannot be modified.

When marshaling data, the interop marshaler can copy or pin the data being marshaled.

Pit

(transitive) To remove the stone from a stone fruit or the shell from a drupe.

One must pit a peach to make it ready for a pie.

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Pit

A large cavity or hole in the ground, either natural or artificial; a cavity in the surface of a body; an indentation

Tumble me into some loathsome pit.

(transitive) To cause an analog gauge to reach the stop pin at the high end of the range.

Pit

Any abyss; especially, the grave, or hades.

Back to the infernal pit I drag thee chained.

He keepth back his soul from the pit.

To peen.

Pit

A covered deep hole for entrapping wild beasts; a pitfall; hence, a trap; a snare. Also used figuratively.

The anointed of the Lord was taken in their pits.

To inclose; to confine; to pen; to pound.

Pit

A depression or hollow in the surface of the human body

To fasten with, or as with, a pin; to join; as, to pin a garment; to pin boards together.

Pit

Formerly, that part of a theater, on the floor of the house, below the level of the stage and behind the orchestra; now, in England, commonly the part behind the stalls; in the United States, the parquet; also, the occupants of such a part of a theater.

A piece of wood, metal, etc., generally cylindrical, used for fastening separate articles together, or as a support by which one article may be suspended from another; a peg; a bolt.

With pins of adamantAnd chains they made all fast.

Pit

An inclosed area into which gamecocks, dogs, and other animals are brought to fight, or where dogs are trained to kill rats.

Especially, a small, pointed and headed piece of brass or other wire (commonly tinned), largely used for fastening clothes, attaching papers, etc.

Pit

The endocarp of a drupe, and its contained seed or seeds; a stone; as, a peach pit; a cherry pit, etc.

Hence, a thing of small value; a trifle.

He . . . did not care a pin for her.

Pit

To place or put into a pit or hole.

They lived like beasts, and were pitted like beasts, tumbled into the grave.

That which resembles a pin in its form or use

Pit

To mark with little hollows, as by various pustules; as, a face pitted by smallpox.

One of a row of pegs in the side of an ancient drinking cup to mark how much each man should drink.

Pit

To introduce as an antagonist; to set forward for or in a contest; as, to pit one dog against another.

The bull's eye, or center, of a target; hence, the center.

Pit

A sizeable hole (usually in the ground);

They dug a pit to bury the body

Mood; humor.

Pit

A concavity in a surface (especially an anatomical depression)

Caligo. See Caligo.

Pit

The hard inner (usually woody) layer of the pericarp of some fruits (as peaches or plums or cherries or olives) that contains the seed;

You should remove the stones from prunes before cooking

An ornament, as a brooch or badge, fastened to the clothing by a pin; as, a Masonic pin.

Pit

A trap in the form of a concealed hole

The leg; as, to knock one off his pins.

Pit

A surface excavation for extracting stone or slate;

A British term for `quarry' is `stone pit'

A piece of jewelry that is pinned onto the wearer's garment

Pit

Lowered area in front of a stage where an orchestra accompanies the performers

When a wrestler's shoulders are forced to the mat

Pit

A workplace consisting of a coal mine plus all the buildings and equipment connected with it

Small markers inserted into a surface to mark scores or define locations etc.

Pit

Set into opposition or rivalry;

Let them match their best athletes against ours

Pit a chess player against the Russian champion

He plays his two children off against each other

A number you choose and use to gain access to various accounts

Pit

Mark with a scar;

The skin disease scarred his face permanently

Informal terms of the leg;

Fever left him weak on his sticks

Pit

Remove the pits from;

Pit plums and cherries

Axis consisting of a short shaft that supports something that turns

Pit

A large hole or cavity in the ground.

The children dug a deep pit in the sand at the beach.

Cylindrical tumblers consisting of two parts that are held in place by springs; when they are aligned with a key the bolt can be thrown

Pit

The stone found inside certain fruits.

She carefully removed the pit from the peach before eating it.

Flagpole used to mark the position of the hole on a golf green

Pit

A section in a theater where the orchestra sits.

The musicians took their places in the orchestra pit.

A small slender (often pointed) piece of wood or metal used to support or fasten or attach things

Pit

An area designated for a specific activity, like a racing pit.

The car pulled into the pit for a quick tire change.

A holder attached to the gunwale of a boat that holds the oar in place and acts as a fulcrum for rowing

A club-shaped wooden object used in bowling; set up in groups as a target

To hold fast or prevent from moving;

The child was pinned under the fallen tree

Attach or fasten with pins

Pierce with a pin;

Pin down the butterfly

Immobilize a piece

A small, pointed piece of metal used for fastening.

She used a pin to hold the fabric pieces together while sewing.

A slender, sharp object used for holding things in place.

The tailor inserted a pin to mark the hemline.

FAQs

How is "pit" used in fruit preparation?

In fruit preparation, "pit" refers to the process of removing the stone from the fruit.

Can "pin" be a verb?

Yes, "to pin" means to fasten or attach something with a pin.

What is a pin?

A pin is a small, pointed piece of metal used for fastening or attaching items.

Can "pit" be a verb?

Yes, "to pit" means to remove the stone from a fruit.

What is an orchestra pit?

An orchestra pit is the area in a theater where musicians perform, usually in front of the stage.

What is a racing pit?

A racing pit is an area where vehicles stop for maintenance during a race.

What is a pit?

A pit can refer to a large hole in the ground or the stone inside certain fruits.

What is the physical form of a pit in a fruit?

A pit in a fruit is hard and round, found at the center of the fruit.

Where might you find a pit?

Pits can be found in landscaping (holes) or inside fruits like peaches and cherries.

How is "pin" used in sewing?

In sewing, a pin is used to hold fabric pieces together temporarily.

Where might you find a pin used?

Pins are used in sewing, office work, and crafts.

What does "pitting" a fruit involve?

Pitting a fruit involves removing the hard stone from its center.

Are pits always related to fruits?

No, pits can also refer to large holes in the ground or specific areas in theaters and racing tracks.

What is the physical form of a pin?

A pin is slender, sharp, and usually made of metal.

Do pins have multiple uses?

Yes, pins can be used in various contexts, including sewing, fastening papers, and digital security.

How are pins and pits fundamentally different?

Pins are small objects used for fastening, while pits are either large holes or fruit stones.

Is a pit in a fruit something you eat?

No, the pit in a fruit is usually not eaten and is removed before consumption.

What is an example of a pin in digital security?

A PIN (Personal Identification Number) is used to access secure accounts.

Is a pin typically used temporarily or permanently?

Pins are usually used temporarily to hold items together.

Can pins be decorative?

Yes, pins can also be used as decorative accessories, like brooches or lapel pins.

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About Author

Written by

Janet White

Janet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.

Co-written by

Harlon Moss

Harlon is a seasoned quality moderator and accomplished content writer for Difference Wiki. An alumnus of the prestigious University of California, he earned his degree in Computer Science. Leveraging his academic background, Harlon brings a meticulous and informed perspective to his work, ensuring content accuracy and excellence.