Thermos
/ˈθɜːr.mɒs/noun
A vacuum-insulated container that keeps liquids hot or cold.
Did you know?Thermos is a modern trademarked name built from Greek thermos, meaning “hot,” from the same ancient root that gave English thermal, thermometer, and thermostat.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʷʰer-
“to heat, be warm”
Ancient Greek
Greek
θερμός (thermós)
“hot, warm”
Late 19th Century
English
thermos
“a brand name for an insulated vessel”
20th Century
English
thermos
“a vacuum flask; an insulated container for keeping liquids hot or cold”
Explore more surprising origins