Large cylindrical containers, usually made of wood or metal, used for storing liquids or dry goods.
From Old French 'barel,' possibly from Greek 'baris.' The word originally described any large rounded container and became standardized for the specific cylindrical shape.
A barrel's traditional size became so standardized that 'barrel' is still used as a unit of measurement—one barrel of oil equals 42 gallons, a measurement that originated in the herring trade and still determines global oil prices today.
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