cup

1 of 2

noun

ˈkəp 

1

: an open usually bowl-shaped drinking vessel

2

a

: a drinking vessel and its contents

b

: the consecrated wine of the Communion

3

: something that falls to one's lot

4

: an ornamental cup offered as a prize (as in a championship)

5

: something resembling a cup: such as

a

: a cup-shaped plant organ

b

: an athletic supporter reinforced usually with plastic to provide extra protection to the wearer

c

: either of two parts of a brassiere that are shaped like and fit over the breasts

d

: the metal case inside a hole in golf

also : the hole itself

6

: a usually iced beverage resembling punch but served from a pitcher rather than a bowl

7

: a half pint : eight fluid ounces

8

: a food served in a cup-shaped usually footed vessel

a fruit cup

9

: the symbol ∪ indicating the union of two sets compare cap sense 7

cuplike

ˈkəp-ˌlīk 

adjective

cup

2 of 2

verb

cupped; cupping

transitive verb

1

: to treat by cupping

2

a

: to curve into the shape of a cup

cupped his hands around his mouth

b

: to place in or as if in a cup

Phrases

in one's cups

: drunk

Synonyms

Noun

• mug

Examples of cup in a Sentence

Noun

Would you like another cup of tea?

The winner will take home the cup.

Verb

He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted at us.

I had to cup my hand to my ear in order to hear him.

He cupped his mouth with his hands and shouted at us.

I sat with my chin cupped in my hand.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Open bar with fancy cocktails, but served in Solo cups to keep you feeling like part of the humble proletariat. —Meghana Indurti, The New Yorker, 26 Dec. 2024

Some of the items on Ivanna’s Christmas list included clothes, a Stanley cup, a $150 Sprayground backpack and pho. —Jordan Greene, People.com, 26 Dec. 2024

Verb

Chester gently cups his smooth, genial face in his gracefully refined hand, an unusual gesture that quietly expresses self-love. —Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024

In roughly the same area of the pitch, Gabriel Jesus was bending over to adjust his boot, when Colombia international Mosquera wandered over and… well, at the very least cupped the Brazilian’s right buttock, and potentially a bit more. —Nick Miller, The Athletic, 18 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English cuppe, from Old English, from Late Latin cuppa cup, alteration of Latin cupa tub — more at hive

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cup

• cup fungus
• cup of tea
• fruit cup
• go cup
• in the cup of someone's hand
• loving cup
• measuring cup
• optic cup
• painted cup
• sippy cup
• someone's cup of tea
• stirrup cup
• suction cup

Kids Definition

cup

1 of 2 noun

ˈkəp 

1

a

: something to drink out of in the shape of a bowl usually with a handle

a coffee cup

b

: a similar container used to measure amounts (as in cooking)

a measuring cup

2

a

: the contents of a cup : cupful

drank two cups of cocoa

b

: a half pint : eight fluid ounces (about 237 milliliters)

3

: a large ornamental cup offered as a prize

4

: something (as the corolla of a flower) resembling a cup

5

: a food served in a cup-shaped container

fruit cup

cuplike adjective

cup

2 of 2 verb

cupped; cupping

1

: to curve into the shape of a cup

cupped his hands around his mouth

2

: to place in or as if in a cup

cupped her mouth with her hands

Medical Definition

cup

1 of 2 noun

ˈkəp 

1

: a usually open bowl-shaped drinking vessel often having a handle and a stem and base and sometimes a lid

2

: a drinking vessel and its contents : the beverage or food contained in a cup

a second cup of coffee

3

: something resembling a cup

invagination of the blastula to form a multilayered cellular cup

: as

a(1)

: an athletic supporter reinforced for providing extra protection to the wearer in certain strenuous sports (as boxing, hockey, or football)

(2)

: either of the two parts of a brassiere that are shaped like and fit over the breasts

b

: a small bell-shaped glass formerly used in cupping

c

: a cap of metal or plastic shaped like the femoral head and used in plastic reconstruction of the hip joint

cup

2 of 2 verb

cupped; cupping

transitive verb

: to treat by cupping

intransitive verb

: to undergo or perform cupping