pint

American  

[pahynt] / paɪnt /

noun

1. a liquid and also dry measure of capacity, equal to one half of a liquid and dry quart respectively, approximately 35 cubic inches (0.473 liter). pt, pt.

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pint British  

/ paɪnt /

noun

1. a unit of liquid measure of capacity equal to one eighth of a gallon. 1 Brit pint is equal to 0.568 litre, 1 US pint to 0.473 litre

2. a unit of dry measure of capacity equal to one half of a quart. 1 US dry pint is equal to one sixty-fourth of a US bushel or 0.5506 litre

3. a measure having such a capacity

4. informal

   1. a pint of beer

   2. a drink of beer

      he's gone out for a pint

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pint Scientific  

/ pīnt /

1. A unit of liquid volume or capacity in the US Customary System, equal to 16 fluid ounces or 28.88 cubic inches (about 0.47 liter).

2. A unit of dry volume or capacity used in the US Customary System, equal to 1/2 of a quart or 34.6 cubic inches (about 0.55 liter).

3. See Table at measurement

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Etymology

Origin of pint

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English pynte, from Old French pinte or Middle Dutch, Middle Low German pinte

Compare meaning

How does pint compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• pint vs. gallon
• pint vs. liter

Explanation

A pint is a unit of measurement. A US liquid pint is the same as sixteen ounces — you could order a pint of iced coffee at your local cafe, but it may just confuse the barista. The term pint is more familiar in Britain than the US, although it's used to measure goods in both places. If you order a pint in a pub, you'll get a large glass holding one fluid pint of beer, and in the UK you can also buy pints of milk. British pints are larger than their US counterparts, though — both countries consider a pint to be one-eighth of a gallon, but an Imperial gallon (in Britain or Ireland) is larger.

Example Sentences

The museum, on the first floor, is a re-creation of “Skeldale House,” down to the pint pot in which Siegfried kept the petty cash and the old central telephone.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

He chased Warren Beatty around for an interview before “Bonnie and Clyde” came out in 1967, eventually writing for Esquire, “Interviewing Warren is like asking a hemophiliac for a pint of blood.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

In the three years to January, the price of an average pint of lager on draught went up by 60p to £4.83, while a 175ml glass of wine rose 88p to £5.17, inflation data shows.

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026

Sometimes she would bring him a pint of strawberry or lemon ice cream.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

Bess grabbed the pint of Clue-berry from the Faynes' freezer.

From "Scream for Ice Cream: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #2" by Carolyn Keene