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Definition of container

container

/kənˈteɪ.nər/
con · tain · er
Plural:containers
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container Lexical Profile

container Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

Any object, such as a box, bottle, or can, that is used for holding, storing, or transporting items.

Example

"She carefully sealed the leftover soup in a plastic container before placing it in the refrigerator."

2

A large, standardized, reusable metal box designed for the safe and efficient transport of cargo by ship, truck, or train without unloading the contents in between.

Example

"The massive cargo ship was loaded with thousands of shipping containers bound for European markets."

3

A lightweight, standalone, executable software package that includes everything needed to run an application, isolating it from the host system environment.

Example

"The development team deployed the new microservice inside a container to ensure consistent performance across all operating systems."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for container

• Rhymes for container

• Nearby Words

contain
containable
contained
container
containerload
containership
containment

Word Origin & Etymology

Early 16th century, formed in English from the verb 'contain' + the suffix '-er'. 'Contain' comes from Old French 'contenir', which in turn stems from the Latin 'continere' meaning 'to hold together or enclose'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Container. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/container
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