container

[kuhn-tey-ner]

noun

1. anything that contains or can contain something, as a carton, box, crate, or can.

2. a large, vanlike, reuseable box for consolidating smaller crates or cartons into a single shipment, designed for easy and fast loading and unloading of freight.

container

/ kənˈteɪnə /

noun

1. an object used for or capable of holding, esp for transport or storage, such as a carton, box, etc

2. 1. a large cargo-carrying standard-sized container that can be loaded from one mode of transport to another

   2. ( as modifier )

      a container port

      a container ship

Word History and Origins

Origin of container¹

1400–50 for an earlier sense; 1495–1505 container for def. 1; late Middle English conteiner; contain, -er ¹

Example Sentences

At the peak of the fire, 100 containers were alight in four different compartments of the ship, according to Fire Department spokesperson Capt. Adam VanGerpen.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Alcohol-free beer or wine, infant formula, drinks sold as powder and cocktails or mocktails served in an open container also don't fall within the scope of the sugar tax.

Read more on BBC

The beams travel through a series of aligned parts before converging into two narrow streams that enter a sealed container.

Read more on Science Daily

At one of China’s biggest ports, shipping containers whiz about on self-driving trucks with virtually no workers in sight, while the port’s scheduling is run by AI.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The yogurt analogy is perfect, except you’re assuming the expiration date on the container is accurate.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• bag 
• bottle 
• bowl 
• box 
• bucket 
• can 
• canister 
• capsule 
• carton 
• crate 
• dish 
• jar 
• jug 
• kettle 
• package 
• packet 
• pail 
• pot 
• pouch 
• sack