cup

The word “cup” means a small open container, usually with a handle, used for drinking. In plain terms, a small drinking vessel — also used for a cooking measurement and, informally, for any trophy shaped like one.

“Cup” is pronounced KUHP (/ˈkʌp/ in IPA).

Here is “cup” used in a sentence: “She wrapped both hands around a warm cup of tea.”

“Cup” is a noun.

The word “cup” comes from Latin. From Old English cuppe and copp, both meaning "cup" or "vessel," ultimately from Latin cuppa/cupa ("tub, cask"). A distant relative of the word "coupe.".

“Cup” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Cup” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a small open container, usually with a handle, used for drinking.

A cup is smaller, often thinner, and frequently comes with a saucer, like a teacup or coffee cup. A mug is larger and sturdier, holds more, and is used mainly for hot drinks without a saucer. All mugs are cups in the broad sense, but not every cup is a mug.

The main difference is material and design. A cup is typically ceramic, plastic, or paper and usually has a handle, suiting hot drinks. A glass is made of glass, has no handle, and is used for cold drinks like water or juice. Both are open containers for drinking.

Besides the drinking vessel, 'cup' is a unit of cooking measurement. One US cup equals 8 fluid ounces, about 237 millilitres. A metric cup is 250 millilitres, and an imperial cup is 10 imperial fluid ounces. Recipes rely on this standard cup rather than the size of any actual mug.

Everyday types include the teacup and coffee cup, the paper or disposable cup, the plastic cup, and the measuring cup used in cooking. There are also specialised ones like the sippy cup for toddlers and the trophy cup awarded in sports. Each shares the basic open, drinkable-from design.