Tincan

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A lightweight metal container often used for preserving food or beverages
2. A cylindrical vessel made from tin or similar material, commonly utilized for storage and transport of consumables
3. An often cylindrical, sealed container made of metal, primarily used for food preservation or storage purposes

Etymology: Most people assume a tin can is made of tin, but the metal is mostly a coating. Early versions were sheets of iron dipped in molten tin, which kept the iron from rusting and the food from tasting of bare metal. The English inventor Peter Durand patented the idea of sealing food in these vessels, building on earlier French work on preserving food by heating it in sealed containers. The name is a plain compound. "Tin" comes from Old English, and its origin is unknown. "Can" comes from Old English "canne," meaning a cup or vessel. Together they describe a vessel made of tin-coated metal, though the coating was the detail that mattered most to its makers.

Synonyms: tin, can, metal container, canister, container