pint

noun

ˈpīnt 

1

: a unit of capacity equal to ¹/₂ quart see Weights and Measures Table

2

: a pint pot or vessel

Examples of pint in a Sentence

The ice cream comes in pints.

I'd like another pint, please.

We'll all go for a pint after work.

Recent Examples on the Web

Bottled beers are £7.20, a pint is as much as £7.80, and a single vodka and diet mixer is £9.30. —Tim Spiers, New York Times, 20 June 2025

Some pubs in the city date back centuries, and while a solid pint is an inextricable part of British drinking culture, London is now home to one of the most vibrant, innovative cocktail scenes on the planet. —Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 6 June 2025

Fortunately, fans of San Diego beers have ample choices for a pre-Padres pint. —Peter Rowe, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2025

Image By the pint: A U.S. microbrewery has made inroads in English pubs by buying into a soccer team. —Natasha Frost, New York Times, 30 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English pinte, from Middle French, probably from Vulgar Latin *pincta, feminine of pinctus, past participle of Latin pingere to paint; from the use of a painted mark on a container to show its capacity — more at paint

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing pint

• half-pint
• pint-size
• pint-sized

Kids Definition

pint

noun

ˈpīnt 

1

: a unit of capacity equal to ½ quart see measure

2

: a pint container

Medical Definition

pint

noun

ˈpīnt 

: any of various measures of liquid capacity equal to one-half quart: as

a

: a United States measure equal to 16 fluid ounces, 473.176 milliliters, or 28.875 cubic inches

b

: a British measure equal to 20 fluid ounces, 568.26 milliliters, or 34.678 cubic inches