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pint

[pahynt]

Origin

noun

a liquid and also dry measure of capacity, equal to one half of a liquid and dry quart respectively, approximately 35 cubic inches (0.473 liter). Abbreviation: pt, pt.

Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English pynte < Old French pinte or Middle Dutch, Middle Low German pinte

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Pint is always a great word to know.

So is doohickey. Does it mean:

a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.

a fool or simpleton; ninny.

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Collins

World English Dictionary

pint (paɪnt)

—n
1.	a unit of liquid measure of capacity equal to one eighth of a gallon. 1 Brit pint is equal to 0.568 litre, 1 US pint to 0.473 litre
2.	a unit of dry measure of capacity equal to one half of a quart. 1 US dry pint is equal to one sixty-fourth of a US bushel or 0.5506 litre
3.	a measure having such a capacity
4.	informal (Brit)
	a. a pint of beer
	b. a drink of beer: he's gone out for a pint

[C14: from Old French pinte, of uncertain origin; perhaps from Medieval Latin pincta marks used in measuring liquids, ultimately from Latin pingere to paint; compare Middle Low German, Middle Dutch pinte]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

pint

late 14c., from O.Fr. pinte (13c.), from V.L. *pincta (cf. O.Prov., Sp., It. pinta), perhaps ult. from L. picta "painted," fem. pp. of pingere (see paint), on notion of a painted mark on a vessel indicating this measure. Used elliptically for "pint of ale" (or beer) from 1742.

EXPAND

Pint-sized "small" (esp. in ref. to children) is recorded from 1938.

COLLAPSE

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage

Medical Dictionary

pint (pīnt)
n.

A unit of volume or capacity in the U.S. Customary System, used in liquid measure, equal to 16 fluid ounces, 28.875 cubic inches, or .473 liter.
A unit of volume or capacity in the U.S. Customary System, used in dry measure, equal to ¹/₂ quart or 0.551liter.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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American Heritage

Science Dictionary

pint (pīnt) Pronunciation Key

A unit of liquid volume or capacity in the US Customary System, equal to 16 fluid ounces or 28.88 cubic inches (about 0.47 liter).
A unit of dry volume or capacity used in the US Customary System, equal to ¹/₂ of a quart or 34.6 cubic inches (about 0.55 liter). See Table at measurement.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Encyclopedia

pint

unit of capacity in the British Imperial and U.S. Customary systems of measurement. In the British system the units for dry measure and liquid measure are identical; the single British pint is equal to 34.68 cubic inches (568.26 cubic cm) or one-eighth gallon. In the United States the unit for dry measure is slightly different from that for liquid measure; a U.S. dry pint is 33.6 cubic inches (550.6 cubic cm), while a U.S. liquid pint is 28.9 cubic inches (473.2 cubic cm). In each system, two cups make a pint, and two pints equal a quart.

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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"The child who has been taught to make an accurate elevation, plan, and section of a pint pot has had an admirable training in accuracy of eye and hand."

-Thomas Henry Huxley

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