Magnum

/ˈmæɡnəm/ noun

Definition

A large bottle of wine or liquor that holds twice the standard amount; or a large-caliber gun, especially a revolver.

Etymology

From Latin 'magnus' meaning great or large. The wine bottle sense developed in the 19th century as the standard term for oversized bottles.

Kelly Says

The word magnum beautifully shows how Latin root words stay alive in English—we still use the Latin word for 'great' to describe impressive, oversized things, from fancy wines to powerful guns.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.