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beaker

noun
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bea·​ker | \ ˈbē-kər How to pronounce beaker (audio) \

Definition of beaker

1 : a large drinking cup that has a wide mouth and is sometimes supported on a standard
2 : a deep widemouthed thin-walled vessel usually with a lip for pouring that is used especially in science laboratories

Examples of beaker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Orgill even shows the power of tensile strength by placing various items, including an empty soda can, scissors, a beaker, and finally, a five pound weight on the table. — Daisy Hernandez, Popular Mechanics, "This Wiggly Table Looks Like Magic, But It's Just Some Clever Engineering," 29 Mar. 2020 The Koios immersion blender set has got it all: an 800-watt motor, 12 speeds (including a turbo setting), and a suite of helpful accessories like a whisk attachment, a 600ml beaker, and a 500ml food processor container. — Popular Science, "Immersion blenders could change the way you eat fruits and veggies," 18 Oct. 2019 The key to the Six-Cup Classic Chemex is its beaker-riffed design. — Rob Verger, Popular Science, "To brew the world’s most expensive cup of coffee, upgrade that Keurig," 5 Apr. 2020 For the demonstration’s big finish, spouts of colorful foam rocketed out of the beakers. — Rachel E. Greenspan, Time, "Camille Schrier Just Won Miss America 2020 With a Little Help From Exploding Colorful Foam," 20 Dec. 2019 Last year, the company opened a laboratory in Mason, where chemists wearing white lab coats and blue rubber gloves hover over beakers and reactors. — Michael Corkery, New York Times, "Your Foam Coffee Cup Is Fighting for Its Life," 10 Feb. 2020 The glass beakers of the coffee presses can break during normal use, posing a laceration hazard to users. — Kate Gibson, CBS News, "TJ Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods sold potentially dangerous products after recalls," 2 Dec. 2019 Instantly, giant tubes of green foam, then blue, shot out of the beakers, up to the ceiling. — Colleen Curran, Washington Post, "Virginia woman, Miss America winner doubles as doctor," 8 Feb. 2020 There are colorful yarns being dyed in jars and beakers. — Eric Dusenbery, al, "Meet 5 Alabama artists embracing tactile arts in a digital world," 23 Dec. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'beaker.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of beaker

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for beaker

Middle English biker, borrowed from Old Norse bikarr, probably borrowed from a continental Germanic form akin to Old Saxon bikeri, borrowed from early Medieval Latin bicarium, variant of bacarium — more at basin

Note: As noted by the Middle English Dictionary, the modern English form probably reflects influence of Middle Dutch beker.

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Time Traveler for beaker

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The first known use of beaker was in the 14th century

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Last Updated

3 Jun 2020

Cite this Entry

“Beaker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beaker. Accessed 6 Jun. 2020.

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More Definitions for beaker

beaker

noun
How to pronounce beaker (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of beaker

: a wide glass with a lip for pouring that is used especially in chemistry for holding and measuring liquids
chiefly British : a large drinking cup with a wide opening that is typically made of plastic or metal

See the full definition for beaker in the English Language Learners Dictionary

beaker

noun
bea·​ker | \ ˈbē-kər How to pronounce beaker (audio) \

Kids Definition of beaker

: a cup or glass with a wide mouth and usually a lip for pouring that is used especially in science laboratories for holding and measuring liquids

beaker

noun
bea·​ker | \ ˈbē-kər How to pronounce beaker (audio) \

Medical Definition of beaker

: a deep widemouthed thin-walled vessel usually with a lip for pouring that is used especially in science laboratories

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More from Merriam-Webster on beaker

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for beaker

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with beaker

Spanish Central: Translation of beaker

Nglish: Translation of beaker for Spanish Speakers

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