Etymologically
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container

Etymology and origin of the English word container

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
mid-15th century
Ultimate origin
English (contain)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /kənˈteɪ.nə/ (UK); /kənˈteɪ.nəɹ/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is an agent noun from contain with the suffix -er.[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

One who comprises or encompasses: the mid-15th century in Etymonline;[2] the OED's first quotation, he who or that which contains, is from 1502.[4]

Semantic evolution

That which contains, a receptacle, is from about 1500.[2] A large standard-sized box for carrying cargo between modes of transport, as on a container ship, is a modern use.[5][6][3]

Timeline

  • mid-15th century – one who encompasses.[2]
  • 1502 – that which contains.[4]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. An object for holding or carrying something, such as a box, carton or jar; a receptacle.
  2. A large standard-sized box for transporting cargo, moved between ships, trains and lorries.

Word family

  • containerless
  • containerboard
  • containerisation
  • containerization
  • containerize
  • containership

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  6. ^ Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins
Cite this entry

“Container.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/container. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·