tankard

C2 Topic:Food & Drink
US /ˈtæŋkɚd/ UK /ˈtæŋkəd/
noun Freq #52250

Meanings

  1. 1
    noun

    large drinking vessel with one handle

    He raised a pewter tankard to toast the travelers.

Thesaurus

Word family
Forms tankards

Etymology

From Middle English tan(c)kard(e), denoting 'a large tub for carrying liquid', perhaps related to Dutch tanckaert, from Middle Dutch tanckaert, meaning the same thing, but of uncertain ultimate origin. The OED suggests an alteration of Medieval Latin *kantard, from Latin cantharus (“tankard”). Klein suggests French tant quart (“as much of a quarter”). Meaning "drinking vessel" is first recorded late 15th century.

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