Bottlecap

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A round cover, often made from plastic or metal, that securely attaches to the opening of a bottle while preventing spills and maintaining the freshness of the contents inside
2. A circular device, typically crafted from metal or plastic, designed to seal the opening of a bottle, thus preserving its contents and preventing leaks
3. It is a cap-shaped object, usually formed from plastic or metal, that fits on top of a bottle, ensuring that the liquid within remains contained and uncontaminated

Etymology: Bottlecap is about as transparent as compounds get: it is simply "bottle" joined to "cap," with the first word naming what the second one covers. The cap, in its older sense, is a covering for the head or top of something, from the Old English "cæppe," which came into English from Late Latin "cappa," a hooded cloak. So a bottlecap is literally a covering for the top of a bottle, and the same logic works in reverse for a kneecap or a skullcap. The word therefore describes a function rather than a shape or material. Bottles were long sealed with corks, stoppers, and wax, and the metal crown cap that later dominated the trade is still recognisably a cap in the old sense: a small hat for the neck of a bottle. Plastic screw caps and tamper-evident seals are later variations on the same idea, and the compound has stayed fixed to the object while the materials have changed.

Synonyms: cap, lid