tankard

American  

[tang-kerd] / ˈtæŋ kərd /

noun

1. a large drinking cup, usually with a handle and a hinged cover.

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tankard British  

/ ˈtæŋkəd /

noun

1. 1. a large one-handled drinking vessel, commonly made of silver, pewter, or glass, sometimes fitted with a hinged lid

   2. the quantity contained in a tankard

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Etymology

Origin of tankard

1275–1325; Middle English: bucket; compare Middle Dutch tanckaert, Middle French tanquart

Explanation

A tankard is a large, heavy cup with a handle. You might swig root beer from a pewter tankard at a Renaissance festival. Tankards are old fashioned mugs, rarely used today except as a novelty. Though they're almost always made of metal, occasionally tankards are wooden or ceramic. You might win an engraved silver-plated tankard as an award, or spy tankards in a movie during a rowdy pub scene. The word was first used in the 14th century, but it originally meant "large, tub-like vessel."

Example Sentences

The painter might have put his sitter’s hand around some other silver object, like a coffee pot, a tray or a tankard.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

The blue and white cans match NATO’s colour scheme and show a knight holding up a foaming tankard of beer, with the alliance’s logo stamped on his armour.

From Reuters • May 20, 2022

And the scene in the airport with the tankard truck — there’s not just mayhem, there’s drama, you’re learning about the characters.

From New York Times • Jun. 9, 2017

This summer, “Game of Thrones” fans will be able to dress up as their favorite characters, sit on a replica of the Iron Throne and swill a scotch-and-sherry cocktail from a horn-shaped tankard.

From Washington Post • Jun. 6, 2017

Stanchion escorted him off the stage and bought something that came in a tall tankard.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss