Tankard
//ˈtæŋkɚd// noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A large drinking vessel, sometimes of pewter, sometimes with a glass base, with one handle and often a hinged cover.
"I sure would be much happier with a tankard of mead right about now."
- 2 large drinking vessel with one handle wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
More examples"He says smiling, and with a pleasant countenance, please nobody stop our running, the race is for a tankard of ale."
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.
Related phrases
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.