firkin
noun /ˈfɜːkɪn/
/ˈfɜːrkɪn/
(old use)- a small barrel (= a round container with flat ends), used mainly for liquids, butter or fish
- a unit for measuring volume, equal to about 41 litres
Word OriginMiddle English ferdekyn, probably from the Middle Dutch diminutive of vierde ‘fourth’ (a firkin originally contained a quarter of a barrel).