First recorded around 1400–50.
Comes from the late Middle English word ferdkyn or firdekyn.
This is formed from a variant of ferthe, meaning \"fourth,\" and the diminutive suffix -kin.
Sign up for more Word of the Day!

\r\nEXAMPLES OF FIRKIN\r\n

The antique store had a collection of quaint firkins on display, each with its own unique design.
After the harvest festival, the townspeople gathered around to share stories over slices of bread from a firkin of butter.

\r\nIt's National Poetry Month, and we’ve created a challenge that really is for everyone. Today’s the last day to submit!","audio":"https://static.sfdict.com/audio/F01/F0166000.mp3","definitions":[{"partofspeech":"noun","data":"a small wooden vessel or tub for butter, lard, etc."}],"examples":[],"imageUrl":"https://www.dictionary.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/firkin_IG.png","accentColor":"#0063D7"}},"status":"succeeded"}},"meta":{"requestId":"rhfA0MRAKA9h5qHGi2gIv","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchWordsNearby/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"before":[{"slug":"matsu-take","entry":"matsu-take"},{"slug":"matsuyama","entry":"Matsuyama"},{"slug":"matsys","entry":"Matsys"},{"slug":"matt","entry":"Matt"},{"slug":"matta-echaurren","entry":"Matta Echaurren"}],"after":[{"slug":"mattamore","entry":"mattamore"},{"slug":"mattaponi","entry":"Mattaponi"},{"slug":"mattathias","entry":"Mattathias"},{"slug":"matte","entry":"matte"},{"slug":"matted","entry":"matted"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"Mattagami"},"requestId":"hIzv8K4Oqvn3x0SX7qU7b","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"luna/fetchExampleSentences/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"tdb":[],"gbg":[]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"Mattagami"},"requestId":"WiQ9rKG2REIJHi-_bYs-r","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchDictionaryResults/fulfilled","payload":{"slugs":[{"entries":[{"__typename":"Entry","audioPronunciations":[{"mpeg":"https://nonprod-audio.dictionary.com/NEW2016/mattagami_000/mattagami_000.mp3"}],"confusableNotes":[],"genderNotes":[],"grammarNotes":[],"headword":{"displayForm":"Mattagami","slug":"mattagami"},"idioms":[],"orderKey":99999010,"ordinal":10,"origin":null,"partOfSpeechBlock":[{"definitions":[{"antonymsConnection":{"edges":[]},"definitionSetChunks":"[{\"type\": \"def\", \"children\": [{\"text\": \"a river in E Ontario, Canada, flowing N to join the Missinaibi River and form the Moose River. 275 miles (443 km) long.\", \"type\": \"text\"}]}]","examples":[],"ordinal":1,"subdefinitions":[],"synonymsConnection":{"edges":[]}}],"inflectionSets":[],"labelSet":null,"ordinal":1,"partOfSpeech":"noun"}],"pronunciationNotes":[],"pronunciationSet":{"pronunciationSetChunk":"{\"type\": \"pronunciation_set\", \"pointsTo\": \"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e6e3a9b.1de\", \"pronunciationGroupChunks\": [{\"type\": \"pronunciation_group\", \"pointsTo\": \"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e6e3a9b.1df\", \"ipaChunks\": [{\"text\": \"m\\u0259\\u02c8t\\u00e6g \\u0259 mi\", \"type\": \"text\", \"pointsTo\": \"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e6e3a9b.1e0\"}], \"spellChunks\": [{\"text\": \"m\", \"type\": \"text\"}, {\"text\": \"uh\", \"type\": \"emphasis\", \"pointsTo\": \"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e6e3a9b.1e2\"}, {\"text\": \"-\", \"type\": \"text\"}, {\"text\": \"tag\", \"type\": \"bold\", \"pointsTo\": \"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e6e3a9b.1e3\"}, {\"text\": \"-\", \"type\": \"text\"}, {\"text\": \"uh\", \"type\": \"emphasis\", \"pointsTo\": \"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e6e3a9b.1e4\"}, {\"text\": \"-mee\", \"type\": \"text\"}]}]}"},"relatedFormSets":[],"sensitiveNotes":[],"spellingNotes":[],"synonymStudy":[],"usageAlerts":[],"usageNotes":[],"variants":[],"verbPhrases":[]}],"url":"mattagami"}]},"meta":{"arg":{"slug":"mattagami"},"requestId":"KjWBME94Ny3vSpVbsCZ6X","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchResultsData/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"url":"mattagami","displayForm":"Mattagami","canonicalSlug":"mattagami","content":[{"source":"luna","entries":[{"id":"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e6e3a9b.1da","type":"normal","entry":"Mattagami","entrySyllabified":"Mat·tag·a·mi","entryVariants":[],"homograph":null,"pronunciation":{"ipa":"məˈtæg ə mi ","spell":"muh-tag-uh-mee ","audio":{"audio/ogg":"https://static.sfdict.com/audio/lunawav/NEW2016/mattagami_000.ogg","audio/mpeg":"https://static.sfdict.com/audio/NEW2016/mattagami_000.mp3"}},"predefinitionContent":"","posBlocks":[{"definitions":[{"order":1,"type":"simple","predefinitionContent":"","postdefinitionContent":"","definition":"a river in E Ontario, Canada, flowing N to join the Missinaibi River and form the Moose River. 275 miles (443 km) long.","synonyms":"","antonyms":"","cites":[]}],"pos":"noun","posSupplementaryInfo":""}],"origin":null,"originData":null,"supplementaryNotes":[],"variantForms":[],"variantSpellings":[],"referenceData":[],"relatedForms":[],"confusables":[]}]}],"nearbyWordOrdinal":96185,"index-rank-01":["mattagami"],"index-rank-02":[],"index-rank-03":[],"index-rank-04":["mattagami's","mattagamis","mattagamis'"],"index-rank-05":[],"index-rank-06":["mattagami river"],"index-rank-07":[],"index-rank-08":[],"index-rank-09":[],"index-rank-10":[],"index-rank-11":[],"index-rank-12":[],"index-rank-13":[],"index-rank-14":[],"index-rank-15":[],"tunaSlug":null,"isFeaturedMetaSlug":false}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"Mattagami"},"requestId":"BVerzdtOw6LCPtWR7_gU1","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchSpellSuggestions/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"luna":["Mattagami","Chattagam","martagon","macadamia","matagouri","macadam","autogamy","Maugham","Motagua","Madag.","madame","metage","Da Gama","da Gama"],"tuna":["macadam","meet again","mutagen","madame","metage","party game","mortgage","catacomb","mitigate","monogamy","most came","tie game","dirty game","made a go"],"lunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"Mattagami","slug":"mattagami"},{"displayForm":"Chattagam","slug":"chattagam"},{"displayForm":"martagon","slug":"martagon"},{"displayForm":"macadamia","slug":"macadamia"},{"displayForm":"matagouri","slug":"matagouri"},{"displayForm":"macadam","slug":"macadam"},{"displayForm":"autogamy","slug":"autogamy"},{"displayForm":"Maugham","slug":"maugham"},{"displayForm":"Motagua","slug":"motagua"},{"displayForm":"Madag.","slug":"madag"},{"displayForm":"madame","slug":"madame"},{"displayForm":"metage","slug":"metage"},{"displayForm":"Da Gama","slug":"da-gama"},{"displayForm":"da Gama","slug":"da-gama"}],"tunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"macadam","slug":"macadam"},{"displayForm":"meet again","slug":"meet%20again"},{"displayForm":"mutagen","slug":"mutagen"},{"displayForm":"madame","slug":"madame"},{"displayForm":"metage","slug":"metage"},{"displayForm":"party game","slug":"party%20game"},{"displayForm":"mortgage","slug":"mortgage"},{"displayForm":"catacomb","slug":"catacomb"},{"displayForm":"mitigate","slug":"mitigate"},{"displayForm":"monogamy","slug":"monogamy"},{"displayForm":"most came","slug":"most%20came"},{"displayForm":"tie game","slug":"tie%20game"},{"displayForm":"dirty game","slug":"dirty%20game"},{"displayForm":"made a go","slug":"made%20a%20go"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"Mattagami"},"requestId":"qPZw_rConBVwIpYFFG4g6","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}}]},"actionData":null,"errors":null}

Mattagami

noun

Word of the Day