An object such as a box, bottle, or can that is used to hold or carry things.
From Latin *continere* "to hold together, contain" (*con-* "together" + *tenere* "to hold"). The idea is something that holds contents inside it.
The shipping container—just a big metal box—quietly revolutionized global trade by standardizing how things are held. In computing, "containers" now do a similar job for software, neatly packing code to move anywhere.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.