pewter
[ pyoo-ter ]
/ ˈpyu tər /
noun
any of various alloys in which tin is the chief constituent, originally one of tin and lead.
a container or utensil made of such an alloy.
such utensils collectively: a revival of interest in pewter.
British Slang.
- a cup awarded as a prize or trophy, as in a sporting event.
- prize money(def 2).
adjective
consisting or made of pewter: a pewter mug.
Nearby words
pew hinge, pewage, pewee, pewholder, pewit, pewter, pewterer, pexis, peyer's patches, peyote, peyronie's disease
Origin of pewter
1325–75; Middle English pewtre < Middle French peutre < Vulgar Latin *piltrum; perhaps akin to spelter
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for pewter
British Dictionary definitions for pewter
pewter
/ (ˈpjuːtə) /
noun
- any of various alloys containing tin (80–90 per cent), lead (10–20 per cent), and sometimes small amounts of other metals, such as copper and antimony
- (as modifier)pewter ware; a pewter tankard
- a bluish-grey colour
- (as adjective)pewter tights
plate or kitchen utensils made from pewter
Derived Formspewterer, noun
Word Origin for pewter
C14: from Old French peaultre, of obscure origin; related to Old Provençal peltre pewter
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for pewter
pewter
early 14c., "any of various alloys having tin as their main constituent" (the usual form is one part lead to four parts tin), from Old French peautre (12c.), from Vulgar Latin *peltrum "pewter" (source of Spanish peltre, Italian peltro), of uncertain origin. Related: Pewterer.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper