pinned
PIND
/pɪnd/
Fixed to the top of a forum, feed, or thread so that it remains prominently visible regardless of new posts.
Used by administrators to highlight forum rules, major announcements, or essential guidelines.
The story behind the word. Derived from Old English 'pinn', a small peg used to fasten physical objects or attach paper notes to cork noticeboards. When web forums designed user interfaces in the late 1990s, they borrowed the metaphor of pushing a pushpin through paper, creating 'pinned' threads that stay stuck at the top of the board.
Word relationships
- stickied: Stickied is an older forum equivalent derived from sticky notes, whereas pinned is the modern standard across platforms.
- unpinned: Unpinned posts return to regular chronological ordering in the thread feed.
Commonly confused with
- saved: Saved posts are stored privately in a user's account, whereas pinned posts are anchored at the top for all visitors.
Word family
- pin (verb): To attach a post to the top of a digital board.
Collocations
- pinned post
- pinned thread
- pinned message
- keep pinned
Example sentences
- "Before asking a question, please read the pinned post containing the community rulebook." Forum administration
Memory hook
PINNED like a paper note stuck with a pushpin at the top of a cork board. Stuck at the top for everyone to see.
When not to use
Do not use for temporary messages that naturally slide down as new content arrives.
Fun facts
- Older online forums used the term 'sticky thread' from physical sticky notes before social media standardized 'pinned'.
Explore more words
Thread, foundational, prominence, immutable, salience, principled
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