Bowser

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A large container designed to hold and distribute liquids such as water or fuel ; a tanker vehicle used to transport or deliver fuel, water, or other fluids ; a fictional villainous character known for opposing a famous video game hero
2. An industrial-size tank meant for storing fluids ; a specialized vehicle for carrying fuel or water to various locations ; a notable antagonist character in a popular gaming franchise
3. A portable storage tank for liquids like gasoline or water ; a motorized vehicle that dispenses fuel or water ; a well-known video game character who frequently acts as an adversary

Etymology: Sylvanus Bowser, an American inventor, gave his name to the fuel pump he created, and his surname later became a common noun for the tanks and trucks that pump fuel. The word's first use in this sense comes from his company, S. F. Bowser and Company, which made the first gasoline pump with a measuring device and sold it under his name. Before that, people had simply filled cars from barrels or cans, so a device that delivered fuel from a tall glass-fronted unit was a novelty that needed a name. The name then spread to anything built on the same principle. A bowser today is an industrial storage tank for liquids, or a specialized vehicle that carries fuel or water to remote sites, such as airfields and construction yards. Because the surname was a brand, the word shows how a trade name can slip into everyday vocabulary. The same name also gave its title to a gaming character, the villain Bowser in the Super Mario franchise, whose name was a playful nod to the word.

Synonyms: tank, container