pail

noun

ˈpāl 

1

: a usually cylindrical container with a handle : bucket

a milk pail

2

: the quantity that a pail contains

a pail of water

pailful

ˈpāl-ˌfu̇l 

noun

Synonyms of pail

• bucket

Examples of pail in a Sentence

A plastic beach pail was lying on the sand.

She poured a pail of water on the campfire.

Recent Examples on the Web

At Bolsa Chica State Beach, swimmers suffering stings to the sides of their feet and toes sat in a circle refilling their pails with hot water from a hose. — ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026

Polls show Farage is still likely to win, but that Count Binface — a spoof candidate who wears a garbage pail on his head — may get around 20-percent of the vote. — Lauren Frayer, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026

The popcorn pail, topped with a replica of the giant sandworms of planet Arrakis, made customers reach their hands through the sandworm's teeth to dish out popcorn from inside. — Greta Cross, USA Today, 1 July 2026

Chekhov learned later that soldiers with pails always appeared at this time in the morning, fetching water for the officers. — Vasily Grossman, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English payle, paille

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing pail

• slop pail

Rhymes for pail

• ail
• ale
• bail
• baile
• dail
• fail
• flail
• frail
• gael
• gail
• grail
• hail

Kids Definition

pail

noun

ˈpā(ə)l 

1

: a round container that is open at the top and has a handle : bucket

2

: the quantity held by a pail

fetch a pail of water