Tincans

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Containers made of thin metal, typically cylindrical and used for storing food or beverages ; informal term for metal containers commonly used for packaging preserved goods ; common objects composed of lightweight metal, serving as vessels to hold various consumable products
2. Small cylindrical vessels crafted from thin sheets of metal designed for holding food or liquids ; casual phrase describing metal packaging typically sealed for storage and transport of edibles ; metallic containers widely used in food preservation and distribution, notable for their disposable nature
3. Lightweight metal containers, generally tubular and sealed, intended to store perishables ; colloquial expression for cylindrical metal boxes employed for packaging edible items ; standardized units of thin metal formed into vessels for the containment of liquid or solid consumables

Etymology: The metal in most "tin cans" is not tin. Early food containers were steel or iron sheets coated with a thin layer of tin, which prevented rust and kept the contents from reacting with the metal. The name stuck long after the coating became a small part of the container. The two halves of the compound have different histories. "Tin" comes from Old English, while "can" is also Old English, from "canne," a vessel or drinking cup. Its ultimate origin is uncertain. Together they describe a container made from tin-plated metal, and the plural form refers to several such containers. Canning itself began as a way to preserve food for long voyages and military supply. Metal containers replaced the glass jars first used for the process, because they were lighter and far less likely to break.

Synonyms: cans, containers