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":"FD75K0rev5rLnGI2o9W7D","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchWordsNearby/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"before":[{"slug":"hissy--fit","entry":"hissy fit"},{"slug":"hist","entry":"hist"},{"slug":"histadrut","entry":"Histadrut"},{"slug":"histaminase","entry":"histaminase"},{"slug":"histamine","entry":"histamine"}],"after":[{"slug":"histamine-headache","entry":"histamine headache"},{"slug":"histidine","entry":"histidine"},{"slug":"histiocyte","entry":"histiocyte"},{"slug":"histioid","entry":"histioid"},{"slug":"histo-","entry":"histo-"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"histamine-blocker"},"requestId":"TNZBaH-ag4zDeE0iWj41y","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"luna/fetchExampleSentences/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"tdb":[],"gbg":[]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"histamine-blocker"},"requestId":"vAVZseNI84pLs5pVIK94j","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchDictionaryResults/fulfilled","payload":{"slugs":[{"entries":[{"__typename":"Entry","audioPronunciations":[],"confusableNotes":[],"genderNotes":[],"grammarNotes":[],"headword":{"displayForm":"histamine blocker","slug":"histamine-blocker"},"idioms":[],"orderKey":99999010,"ordinal":10,"origin":null,"partOfSpeechBlock":[{"definitions":[{"antonymsConnection":{"edges":[]},"definitionSetChunks":"[{\"type\": \"def\", \"children\": [{\"text\": \"any of various substances that act at a specific receptor site to block certain actions of histamine.\", \"type\": \"text\"}]}]","examples":[],"ordinal":1,"subdefinitions":[],"synonymsConnection":{"edges":[]}}],"inflectionSets":[],"labelSet":{"labelSetText":"Pharmacology."},"ordinal":1,"partOfSpeech":"noun"}],"pronunciationNotes":[],"pronunciationSet":null,"relatedFormSets":[],"sensitiveNotes":[],"spellingNotes":[],"synonymStudy":[],"usageAlerts":[],"usageNotes":[],"variants":[],"verbPhrases":[]}],"url":"histamine-blocker"}]},"meta":{"arg":{"slug":"histamine-blocker"},"requestId":"pmdA8_kP38XDwJyKwZ_uj","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchResultsData/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"url":"histamine-blocker","displayForm":"histamine blocker","canonicalSlug":"histamine-blocker","content":[{"source":"luna","entries":[{"id":"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e69d362.-461b","type":"normal","entry":"histamine blocker","entrySyllabified":"histamine blocker","entryVariants":[],"homograph":null,"pronunciation":null,"predefinitionContent":"","posBlocks":[{"definitions":[{"order":1,"type":"simple","predefinitionContent":"","postdefinitionContent":"","definition":"any of various substances that act at a specific receptor site to block certain actions of histamine.","synonyms":"","antonyms":"","cites":[]}],"pos":"noun","posSupplementaryInfo":"Pharmacology."}],"origin":null,"originData":null,"supplementaryNotes":[],"variantForms":[],"variantSpellings":[],"referenceData":[],"relatedForms":[],"confusables":[]}]}],"nearbyWordOrdinal":72820,"index-rank-01":["histamine blocker"],"index-rank-02":[],"index-rank-03":[],"index-rank-04":["histamine blocker's","histamine blockers","histamine blockers'"],"index-rank-05":[],"index-rank-06":[],"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":[],"categoryId":"48","complexityScore":0.4378992447947097,"gradeLevel":"high_school","tunaSlug":null,"isFeaturedMetaSlug":false}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"histamine-blocker"},"requestId":"5XMhAKGkZGMFz7h_-onFh","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchSpellSuggestions/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"luna":[],"tuna":["stamina","stamen","heisting","hosting","steaming","hesitating","historian","hustling","hit man","hit-man","hasting","most amen","costuming","hastening","hosteling","most mini","hetman","hast made","hast name","has to name","has it made"],"lunaWithSlug":[],"tunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"stamina","slug":"stamina"},{"displayForm":"stamen","slug":"stamen"},{"displayForm":"heisting","slug":"heisting"},{"displayForm":"hosting","slug":"hosting"},{"displayForm":"steaming","slug":"steaming"},{"displayForm":"hesitating","slug":"hesitating"},{"displayForm":"historian","slug":"historian"},{"displayForm":"hustling","slug":"hustling"},{"displayForm":"hit man","slug":"hit%20man"},{"displayForm":"hasting","slug":"hasting"},{"displayForm":"most amen","slug":"most%20amen"},{"displayForm":"costuming","slug":"costuming"},{"displayForm":"hastening","slug":"hastening"},{"displayForm":"hosteling","slug":"hosteling"},{"displayForm":"most mini","slug":"most%20mini"},{"displayForm":"hetman","slug":"hetman"},{"displayForm":"hast made","slug":"hast%20made"},{"displayForm":"hast name","slug":"hast%20name"},{"displayForm":"has to name","slug":"has%20to%20name"},{"displayForm":"has it made","slug":"has%20it%20made"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"histamine-blocker"},"requestId":"VakV9MhnJbIEsd__Dsn6h","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}}]},"actionData":null,"errors":null}

histamine blocker

noun

Word of the Day