often attributive
1
a
: a rigid or semirigid container typically of glass or plastic having a comparatively narrow neck or mouth and usually no handle
b
: a usually bottle-shaped container made of skin for storing a liquid
2
: the quantity held by a bottle
3
a
: intoxicating drink : the practice of drinking
slipped deeper and deeper into the bottle—
Anne Bernays
Anne Bernays
b
: liquid food (such as milk) used in place of mother's milk
bottled; bottling
ˈbä-tᵊl-iŋ 
ˈbät-liŋ
1
a
: to confine as if in a bottle : restrain
—usually used with up
bottling up their anger
b
: to put or keep in a position or situation that makes free activity, progress, or escape difficult or impossible
—usually used with up
bottle up legislation in committee
2
: to put into or as if into a bottle
wished she could bottle their energy
Synonyms
Examples of bottle in a Sentence
Noun
We drank a bottle of wine.
He says he's lost too many years to the bottle, and that he's giving up alcohol.
Her struggles with the bottle affected her entire family.
Has the baby finished her bottle yet?
raised on a bottle instead of breast milk
Verb
The restaurant bottles its own ginger ale.
Near the top of the mountain, the climbers relied on bottled oxygen to breathe.
See More
Recent Examples on the WebCarl Lamarre, Billboard, 4 Dec. 2023
Stipe stepped forward to offer her a bottle of water.
—Jon Mooallem, New York Times, 3 Dec. 2023
The etiquette is to get a return invite in some way or another, or at least a bottle of wine.
—Karim Doumar, Los Angeles Times, 3 Dec. 2023
As legend goes, by age five, MacGowan was already downing two bottles of Guinness a night, and was given his first taste of whiskey not long after.
—Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2023
This kit features three bags of kernels plus five bottles of delicious popcorn toppings, including white cheddar, chili lime, spicy sriracha, kettle corn, and caramel corn.
—Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 1 Dec. 2023
Today, in bustling hubs like Barcelona and Bilbao, people gather for grape-eating, counting down, and passing around bottles of cava.
—Boutayna Chokrane, Vogue, 1 Dec. 2023
During this time, Trump supporters were engaged with police officers and had begun forcing them back onto the Capitol lawn, throwing bottles and dousing several offices with chemical spray.
—Dell Cameron, WIRED, 1 Dec. 2023
Going to the convenience store and buying a bottle of water is one thing; finding a random bottle of water on the sidewalk is something else.
—Sheila Callaham, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 6 Dec. 2023
The blend was charcoal filtered and oxygenated to remove the color and soften the palate before bottling.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 5 Dec. 2023
The Macallan Adami 1926 spent 60 years aging in sherry casks before being bottled in 1986.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Nov. 2023
Water sold in clear plastic bottles that are ubiquitous the world over is often simply filtered municipal water that’s distilled and bottled from any number of sources.
—Martha Irvine and Dar Yasin, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Nov. 2023
Available in both Basil Habanero and Jalapeño flavors, each syrup is slow cooked with fresh herbs and produce and bottled in a beautiful glass vessel.
—Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 17 Nov. 2023
The rarest of all, often bottled in collectable glass, sell for hundreds of dollars apiece.
—Martha Irvine and Dar Yasin, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Nov. 2023
Last year’s Black Art 10 release was a 29-year-old single malt and 1993 vintage bottled at 45.1 percent ABV.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 9 Nov. 2023
Size Another thing to be mindful of when shopping for texturizing spray is the size of the can or bottle.
—Rebecca Norris, Peoplemag, 1 Nov. 2023
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Noun
Don’t try to give me no bottles, don’t try to offer me no shot, don’t do none of that.
—Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 4 Dec. 2023
Stipe stepped forward to offer her a bottle of water.
—Jon Mooallem, New York Times, 3 Dec. 2023
The etiquette is to get a return invite in some way or another, or at least a bottle of wine.
—Karim Doumar, Los Angeles Times, 3 Dec. 2023
As legend goes, by age five, MacGowan was already downing two bottles of Guinness a night, and was given his first taste of whiskey not long after.
—Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2023
This kit features three bags of kernels plus five bottles of delicious popcorn toppings, including white cheddar, chili lime, spicy sriracha, kettle corn, and caramel corn.
—Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 1 Dec. 2023
Today, in bustling hubs like Barcelona and Bilbao, people gather for grape-eating, counting down, and passing around bottles of cava.
—Boutayna Chokrane, Vogue, 1 Dec. 2023
During this time, Trump supporters were engaged with police officers and had begun forcing them back onto the Capitol lawn, throwing bottles and dousing several offices with chemical spray.
—Dell Cameron, WIRED, 1 Dec. 2023
Going to the convenience store and buying a bottle of water is one thing; finding a random bottle of water on the sidewalk is something else.
—Sheila Callaham, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
Verb
Roche seconds this idea of bottling fame, or, at least, fame adjacency.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 6 Dec. 2023
The blend was charcoal filtered and oxygenated to remove the color and soften the palate before bottling.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 5 Dec. 2023
The Macallan Adami 1926 spent 60 years aging in sherry casks before being bottled in 1986.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Nov. 2023
Water sold in clear plastic bottles that are ubiquitous the world over is often simply filtered municipal water that’s distilled and bottled from any number of sources.
—Martha Irvine and Dar Yasin, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Nov. 2023
Available in both Basil Habanero and Jalapeño flavors, each syrup is slow cooked with fresh herbs and produce and bottled in a beautiful glass vessel.
—Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 17 Nov. 2023
The rarest of all, often bottled in collectable glass, sell for hundreds of dollars apiece.
—Martha Irvine and Dar Yasin, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Nov. 2023
Last year’s Black Art 10 release was a 29-year-old single malt and 1993 vintage bottled at 45.1 percent ABV.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 9 Nov. 2023
Size Another thing to be mindful of when shopping for texturizing spray is the size of the can or bottle.
—Rebecca Norris, Peoplemag, 1 Nov. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bottle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English botel, from Old French botele, from Medieval Latin butticula, diminutive of Late Latin buttis cask
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of bottle was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing bottle
Dictionary Entries Near bottle
Cite this Entry
“Bottle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bottle. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
Medical Definition
bottle
noun
bot·tle
ˈbät-ᵊl
often attributive
1
: a rigid or semirigid container typically of glass or plastic having a comparatively narrow neck or mouth and usually no handle see wash bottle
2
: liquid food usually consisting of milk and supplements that is fed from a bottle (as to an infant) in place of mother's milk
More from Merriam-Webster on bottle
Nglish: Translation of bottle for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of bottle for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bottle
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