sheen: [OE] Despite its similarity in form and meaning, sheen has no etymological connection with shine. It was originally an adjective, meaning ‘beautiful, bright’. Like its relatives, German schön and Dutch schoon, it goes back to a prehistoric Germanic *skauniz, which was derived from the base *skau- ‘see, look’ (source also of English scavenger and show). It was not used as a noun until the early 17th century (it is first recorded in Shakespeare). => scavenger, scone, show
sheen (n.)
"shining, brightness," 1602 (first attested in "Hamlet" iii.2), noun use of adjective sheene "beautiful, bright," from Old English scene, sciene "beautiful; bright, brilliant," from Proto-Germanic *skauniz "conspicuous" (cognates: Old Frisian skene, Middle Dutch scone, Dutch schoon, Old High German skoni, German schön "fair, beautiful;" Gothic skaunja "beautiful"), from PIE root *skeue- "to pay attention, perceive" (see caveat). Meaning "film of oil on water" is from 1970.
As an adjective now only in poetic or archaic use, but in Middle English used after a woman's name, or as a noun, "fair one, beautiful woman."
