Barrel
/ˈbær.əl/noun
A large cylindrical container used for storing or transporting liquids or other goods.
Did you know?English borrowed the word through Old French, and its deeper roots are uncertain enough that scholars still debate whether it began as a term for a small rod, a hoop, or the staves of a vessel.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bher-
“to carry, bear”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*baraz / *beraną
“to bear, carry”
Old French
OF
baril
“a cask or barrel”
Middle English
English
barrel
“a cask or small vessel for liquids”
Modern English
English
barrel
“a large cylindrical container for liquids or dry goods”