First recorded around 1400–50.
Comes from the late Middle English word ferdkyn or firdekyn.
This is formed from a variant of ferthe, meaning \"fourth,\" and the diminutive suffix -kin.
Sign up for more Word of the Day!

\r\nEXAMPLES OF FIRKIN\r\n

The antique store had a collection of quaint firkins on display, each with its own unique design.
After the harvest festival, the townspeople gathered around to share stories over slices of bread from a firkin of butter.

\r\nIt's National Poetry Month, and we’ve created a challenge that really is for everyone. Today’s the last day to submit!","audio":"https://static.sfdict.com/audio/F01/F0166000.mp3","definitions":[{"partofspeech":"noun","data":"a small wooden vessel or tub for butter, lard, etc."}],"examples":[],"imageUrl":"https://www.dictionary.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/firkin_IG.png","accentColor":"#0063D7"}},"status":"succeeded"}},"meta":{"requestId":"-Zj3dXi5FsBZ7UeVZNk93","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchWordsNearby/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"before":[{"slug":"ballistic-galvanometer","entry":"ballistic galvanometer"},{"slug":"ballistic-missile","entry":"ballistic missile"},{"slug":"ballistic-pendulum","entry":"ballistic pendulum"},{"slug":"ballistics","entry":"ballistics"},{"slug":"ballistic-trajectory","entry":"ballistic trajectory"}],"after":[{"slug":"ballistite","entry":"ballistite"},{"slug":"ballistocardiogram","entry":"ballistocardiogram"},{"slug":"ballistocardiograph","entry":"ballistocardiograph"},{"slug":"ballistospore","entry":"ballistospore"},{"slug":"ballium","entry":"ballium"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"ballistic-wind"},"requestId":"MLRFOod9CVhGsRcxSOC1m","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"luna/fetchExampleSentences/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"tdb":[],"gbg":[]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"ballistic-wind"},"requestId":"C4kLW7f7cRz9AzIPE_PTm","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchDictionaryResults/fulfilled","payload":{"slugs":[{"entries":[{"__typename":"Entry","audioPronunciations":[{"mpeg":"https://nonprod-audio.dictionary.com/B00/B0060500/B0060500.mp3"}],"confusableNotes":[],"genderNotes":[],"grammarNotes":[],"headword":{"displayForm":"ballistic wind","slug":"ballistic-wind"},"idioms":[],"orderKey":99999010,"ordinal":10,"origin":null,"partOfSpeechBlock":[{"definitions":[{"antonymsConnection":{"edges":[]},"definitionSetChunks":"[{\"type\": \"def\", \"children\": [{\"text\": \"a single wind vector that would have the same net effect on the trajectory of a projectile as the varying winds encountered in flight.\", \"type\": \"text\"}]}]","examples":[],"ordinal":1,"subdefinitions":[],"synonymsConnection":{"edges":[]}}],"inflectionSets":[],"labelSet":null,"ordinal":1,"partOfSpeech":"noun"}],"pronunciationNotes":[],"pronunciationSet":{"pronunciationSetChunk":"{\"type\": \"pronunciation_set\", \"pointsTo\": \"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e5cd310.-3bf\", \"pronunciationGroupChunks\": [{\"type\": \"pronunciation_group\", \"pointsTo\": \"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e5cd310.-3be\", \"ipaChunks\": [{\"text\": \"w\\u026and\", \"type\": \"text\", \"pointsTo\": \"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e5cd310.-3bd\"}], \"spellChunks\": [{\"text\": \"wind\", \"type\": \"text\"}]}]}"},"relatedFormSets":[],"sensitiveNotes":[],"spellingNotes":[],"synonymStudy":[],"usageAlerts":[],"usageNotes":[],"variants":[],"verbPhrases":[]}],"url":"ballistic-wind"}]},"meta":{"arg":{"slug":"ballistic-wind"},"requestId":"IjzAofr-2Bcart0z41L4s","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchResultsData/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"url":"ballistic-wind","displayForm":"ballistic wind","canonicalSlug":"ballistic-wind","content":[{"source":"luna","entries":[{"id":"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e5cd310.-3c3","type":"normal","entry":"ballistic wind","entrySyllabified":"ballistic wind","entryVariants":[],"homograph":null,"pronunciation":{"ipa":"wɪnd ","spell":"wind ","audio":{"audio/ogg":"https://static.sfdict.com/audio/lunawav/B00/B0060500.ogg","audio/mpeg":"https://static.sfdict.com/audio/B00/B0060500.mp3"}},"predefinitionContent":"","posBlocks":[{"definitions":[{"order":1,"type":"simple","predefinitionContent":"","postdefinitionContent":"","definition":"a single wind vector that would have the same net effect on the trajectory of a projectile as the varying winds encountered in flight.","synonyms":"","antonyms":"","cites":[]}],"pos":"noun","posSupplementaryInfo":""}],"origin":null,"originData":null,"supplementaryNotes":[],"variantForms":[],"variantSpellings":[],"referenceData":[],"relatedForms":[],"confusables":[]}]}],"nearbyWordOrdinal":12484,"index-rank-01":["ballistic wind"],"index-rank-02":[],"index-rank-03":[],"index-rank-04":["ballistic wind's","ballistic winds","ballistic winds'"],"index-rank-05":[],"index-rank-06":[],"index-rank-07":[],"index-rank-08":[],"index-rank-09":[],"index-rank-10":[],"index-rank-11":[],"index-rank-12":[],"index-rank-13":[],"index-rank-14":[],"index-rank-15":[],"complexityScore":0.34751738536587684,"gradeLevel":"middle_school","tunaSlug":null,"isFeaturedMetaSlug":false}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"ballistic-wind"},"requestId":"QmzXPeS7bI39tJsXRYQKH","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchSpellSuggestions/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"luna":[],"tuna":["balletic","ballista","cabalistic","ballast","dualistic","realistic","go ballistic"],"lunaWithSlug":[],"tunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"balletic","slug":"balletic"},{"displayForm":"ballista","slug":"ballista"},{"displayForm":"cabalistic","slug":"cabalistic"},{"displayForm":"ballast","slug":"ballast"},{"displayForm":"dualistic","slug":"dualistic"},{"displayForm":"realistic","slug":"realistic"},{"displayForm":"go ballistic","slug":"go%20ballistic"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"ballistic-wind"},"requestId":"2uLXdoL1D4ScNm2RVsCOE","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}}]},"actionData":null,"errors":null}

ballistic wind

noun

Word of the Day