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":"wr3I48SlEy0zqnyKzs_Rl","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchWordsNearby/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"before":[{"slug":"montagu","entry":"Montagu"},{"slug":"montague","entry":"Montague"},{"slug":"montague-grammar","entry":"Montague grammar"},{"slug":"montagu-s-harrier","entry":"Montagu's harrier"},{"slug":"montaigne","entry":"Montaigne"}],"after":[{"slug":"montale","entry":"Montale"},{"slug":"montalvo","entry":"Montalvo"},{"slug":"montana","entry":"Montana"},{"slug":"montanan","entry":"Montanan"},{"slug":"montane","entry":"montane"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"montaigne--michel-de"},"requestId":"l2yLvsvQuINfrjdjmNvWW","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"luna/fetchExampleSentences/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"tdb":[],"gbg":[]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"montaigne--michel-de"},"requestId":"9lgWyVHWvI61jEeW6oUpZ","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchDictionaryResults/fulfilled","payload":{"slugs":[{"entries":[{"__typename":"CulturalEntry","definitions":[{"definitionSetChunks":"[{\"type\": \"text\", \"text\": \"A sixteenth-century French writer best known for his\"}, {\"type\": \"italic\", \"text\": \"Essays\"}, {\"type\": \"text\", \"text\": \". Montaigne established the informal\"}, {\"type\": \"cross_reference\", \"text\": \"essay\", \"slug\": \"essay\"}, {\"type\": \"text\", \"text\": \"as a major literary form.\"}]"}],"headword":{"displayForm":"Montaigne, Michel de","slug":"montaigne-michel-de"},"notes":[]}],"url":"montaigne-michel-de"}]},"meta":{"arg":{"slug":"montaigne--michel-de"},"requestId":"SzbabjvnZizylo-6FiPzL","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchResultsData/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"url":"montaigne--michel-de","displayForm":"Montaigne, Michel de","canonicalSlug":"montaigne--michel-de","content":[{"source":"cultural","entries":[{"id":"montaignemic","type":"normal","entry":"Montaigne, Michel de","entrySyllabified":null,"entryVariants":[],"homograph":0,"pronunciation":{"audio":null,"spell":["(mee-shel duh mon-tayn, mohnn-ten)"],"ipa":null},"predefinitionContent":null,"contentBlocks":[{"title":null,"content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":"A sixteenth-century French writer best known for his Essays. Montaigne established the informal essay as a major literary form."}]}],"supplementaryNotes":[]}]}],"nearbyWordOrdinal":101153,"index-rank-01":["montaigne, michel de"],"index-rank-02":["montaigne michel de"],"index-rank-03":[],"index-rank-04":[],"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":["montaigne-michel-de"],"tunaSlug":null,"isFeaturedMetaSlug":false}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"montaigne--michel-de"},"requestId":"ZzrSNuaAJIfB6pOLRrwiu","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchSpellSuggestions/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"luna":["Montaigne","montage","montane","Montague","mondaine","Mountain","mintage","mountain","Montmagny","mountainy","Montagu","Montana","mondain"],"tuna":["montage","montane","mondaine","mintage","mountain","mondain","most aging"],"lunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"Montaigne","slug":"montaigne"},{"displayForm":"montage","slug":"montage"},{"displayForm":"montane","slug":"montane"},{"displayForm":"Montague","slug":"montague"},{"displayForm":"mondaine","slug":"mondaine"},{"displayForm":"Mountain","slug":"mountain"},{"displayForm":"mintage","slug":"mintage"},{"displayForm":"mountain","slug":"mountain"},{"displayForm":"Montmagny","slug":"montmagny"},{"displayForm":"mountainy","slug":"mountainy"},{"displayForm":"Montagu","slug":"montagu"},{"displayForm":"Montana","slug":"montana"},{"displayForm":"mondain","slug":"mondain"}],"tunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"montage","slug":"montage"},{"displayForm":"montane","slug":"montane"},{"displayForm":"mondaine","slug":"mondaine"},{"displayForm":"mintage","slug":"mintage"},{"displayForm":"mountain","slug":"mountain"},{"displayForm":"mondain","slug":"mondain"},{"displayForm":"most aging","slug":"most%20aging"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"montaigne--michel-de"},"requestId":"lJaYWcwwAUY_nZHNz7VNZ","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}}]},"actionData":null,"errors":null}

Montaigne, Michel de

Word of the Day