Pint

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /paɪnt/

Definitions

1. A unit for measuring volume, typically equal to half a quart in American measurements or one eighth of a gallon in British usage ; a vessel designed to hold one pint of liquid, often used for serving beverages
2. A standard measure of liquid capacity that varies by region but generally represents a fraction of a gallon ; a drinking glass or container that can hold a pint of fluid, commonly found in bars or kitchens
3. A volume measurement used for liquids, differing between the US and UK but commonly accepted as either 16 or 20 fluid ounces ; a cup or glass made to contain this quantity, typically used for beer or other drinks

Etymology: The unit's name comes from a painted mark. Medieval French wine sellers measured liquid against a larger vessel, and a "pincta," or painted line, showed how much it held. The Latin source is "picta," meaning "painted," from the verb "pingo," "to paint." Over time the mark gave its name to the measure itself, which passed into Old French as "pinte" and then into Middle English as "pinte." The word also has a sibling. "Pinto" and "pint" are doublets, two forms of the same Latin-derived word that entered English by different routes, and the paint connection survives in the older vocabulary of measurement that the French trade left behind.

Synonyms: quart, liter, cup