Definition of cup
1 : an open usually bowl-shaped drinking vessel
2a : a drinking vessel and its contentsb : 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 asa : a cup-shaped plant organb : an athletic supporter reinforced usually with plastic to provide extra protection to the wearerc : either of two parts of a brassiere that are shaped like and fit over the breastsd : 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
in one's cups
People Are Reading
Examples of cup in a Sentence
Would you like another cup of tea?
The winner will take home the cup.
Recent Examples of cup from the Web
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Measurements are taken right under the bust, and a few cup sizes are tested to find the winning fit.
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An older Latino man in a car-dealership uniform checks his Apple watch while a clinic worker measures his dose of pink liquid methadone into a plastic cup.
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Traditionally, the conversation about the daily news started over a cup of coffee at the kitchen table and continued in the office with your colleagues or over a beer with your friends.
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Candy Blasts are ice cream in a cup blended with candy and other sweets.
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Add rennet to remaining ¼ cup water and mix until dissolved.
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Drinkware, white plastic cups with black goblet print—Kingston Ellis (R); kingstonellis.com.
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That same cup of coffee that Lorelai and Rory existed on.
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Little hands dipped into the water using cups and spoons to scoop it up and dump into funnels and water wheels.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cup.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of cup
Middle English cuppe, from Old English, from Late Latin cuppa cup, alteration of Latin cupa tub — more at hive
cup
Definition of cup
cupped
;cupping
transitive verb
1 : to treat by cupping
2a : to curve into the shape of a cup cupped his hands around his mouthb : to place in or as if in a cup
Examples of cup in a Sentence
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 of cup from the Web
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Add ¾ cup hot water, saving ¼ cup to mix with cocoa.
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Her hands cupped her very obviously pregnant belly.
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Replay of the incident showed Nocerino gently cup his hands on the sides Polster’s head when the Fire defender got up from the ground and stood menacingly in front of Nocerino.
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Whiddon's hands stopped on and cupped K.A.'s vaginal area and buttocks.
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The hands cup the slime into a conical mound, then flatten the pile with the bulb end of a ladle.
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The nickel didn’t even cover the bottle — just the air, which Lefty poured into Ernie’s cupped hands.
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If dry, add up to ¼ cup additional water to loosen sauce.)
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cup.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of cup
14th century
CUP Defined for English Language Learners
cup
playDefinition of cup for English Language Learners
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: a small round container that often has a handle and that is used for drinking liquids (such as tea and coffee)
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: the liquid that is contained in a cup
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: a unit of measurement that is used when you are cooking
cup
Definition of cup for English Language Learners
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: to curve (your hand) into the shape of a cup
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: to put your hand in a curved shape around (something)
CUP Defined for Kids
Definition of cup for Students
1 : a container to drink out of in the shape of a small bowl usually with a handle
2 : the contents of a small drinking container : cupful I drank a cup of tea.
3 : a unit of measure that equals half a pint or eight fluid ounces
4 : a trophy in the shape of a cup with two handles
5 : something like a small bowl in shape or use I picked her up in the cup of my hands … — Jean Craighead George, My Side of the Mountain
Definition of cup for Students
cupped
;cupping
1 : to curve the hand or hands into the shape of a small bowl
2 : to put the hands in a curved shape around She cupped my face.
Medical Dictionary
Medical Definition of cup
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: asa (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 breastsb: a small bell-shaped glass formerly used in cuppingc: a cap of metal or plastic shaped like the femoral head and used in plastic reconstruction of the hip joint
cup
Medical Definition of cup
cupped
;cupping
transitive verb
: to treat by cuppingintransitive verb
: to undergo or perform cupping
Learn More about cup
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See words that rhyme with cup Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for cup Spanish Central: Translation of cup Nglish: Translation of cup for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of cup for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cup
Seen and Heard
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