Illustration of ewer
ewer
noun
ew·er ˈyü-ər 
ˈyu̇-ər
: a vase-shaped pitcher or jug
Synonyms
- flagon
- jug
- pitcher
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
a silver ewer in an elaborately ornamented style
Recent Examples on the Web At medieval banquets, a ewer -- an impressive jug filled with rose water -- and basins for slop water would be taken around so that guests could deal with the sticky finger problem. 
Washington Post, 28 June 2021 The researcher Kathleen Walker-Meikle contributed an essay on the history of hand washing, featuring a seventeenth-century Iranian ewer, used for the Muslim ritual of wudu, and a nineteen-sixties British sink. Andrew Dickson, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2020 Just inside the door to the stage, precisely placed upon tables were props, a startling array of knives and guns in one arrangement; ceramic ewers on others. Leah Garchik, SFChronicle.com, 9 June 2019 Out came more items from the Treasury—gold chalices, silver ewers, liturgical books—gifted to the church after its earlier contents were looted in 1789 during the French Revolution. Kristin Romey, National Geographic, 16 Apr. 2019 There are bowls large enough to blow wimpy centerpieces out of the water—or off the table—and ewers too tiny even for the four-fingered hand of Mickey Mouse. Lynn Yaeger, Vogue, 3 July 2018 The contest had been going on for more than a century, the cover story explained:The contest, not the old Victorian silver ewer, is the thing. Lily Rothman, Time, 14 Aug. 2017 Pinckney was at the dinner that night, trying to acknowledge and refute history over watermelon brandy, chowchow, shrimp pie, chapon chasseur, and truffled squab served with silver ewers of walnut ketchup. Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2017 See More
Washington Post, 28 June 2021 The researcher Kathleen Walker-Meikle contributed an essay on the history of hand washing, featuring a seventeenth-century Iranian ewer, used for the Muslim ritual of wudu, and a nineteen-sixties British sink. Andrew Dickson, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2020 Just inside the door to the stage, precisely placed upon tables were props, a startling array of knives and guns in one arrangement; ceramic ewers on others. Leah Garchik, SFChronicle.com, 9 June 2019 Out came more items from the Treasury—gold chalices, silver ewers, liturgical books—gifted to the church after its earlier contents were looted in 1789 during the French Revolution. Kristin Romey, National Geographic, 16 Apr. 2019 There are bowls large enough to blow wimpy centerpieces out of the water—or off the table—and ewers too tiny even for the four-fingered hand of Mickey Mouse. Lynn Yaeger, Vogue, 3 July 2018 The contest had been going on for more than a century, the cover story explained:The contest, not the old Victorian silver ewer, is the thing. Lily Rothman, Time, 14 Aug. 2017 Pinckney was at the dinner that night, trying to acknowledge and refute history over watermelon brandy, chowchow, shrimp pie, chapon chasseur, and truffled squab served with silver ewers of walnut ketchup. Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2017 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Anglo-French ewer, ewier, from Latin aquarium water source, neuter of aquarius of water, from aqua water — more at island
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined above
ewer
noun
as in pitcher
a handled container for holding and pouring liquids that usually has a lip or a spout a silver ewer in an elaborately ornamented style Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- pitcher
- jug
- cup
- bottle
- flagon
- flask
- bucket
- decanter
- tankard
- stein
- pail
- pot
- kettle
- carafe
- beaker
- teakettle
- stoup
- vessel
- mug
- canteen
- fiasco
- cruse
- jorum
- watering pot
- watering can