hogshead

noun

hogs·​head ˈhȯgz-ˌhed How to pronounce hogshead (audio)
ˈhägz-
1
: a large cask or barrel
2
: any of various units of capacity
especially : a U.S. unit equal to 63 gallons (238 liters)

Examples of hogshead in a Sentence

the ship's hold carried 164 hogsheads of molasses
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
It was aged for the majority of those years in refill hogsheads and butts, and then finished for more than a year in Oloroso sherry casks. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 28 Oct. 2024 The younger is the superior whisky (although both are excellent), aged for nearly 20 years in American oak ex-bourbon barrels and hogsheads and bottled at a strong 57.6 percent ABV. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 28 Oct. 2024 Distilled entirely from barley harvested at a farm less than two miles from the distillery, 15.3 was aged in a combination of first-fill bourbon barrels and first-fill Oloroso sherry hogsheads from Jerez. Tony Sachs, Forbes, 20 Sep. 2024 In 2025, an American oak hogshead cask filled in 1973 will be married with the whisky, followed in 2026 by an American oak barrel filled in 1974 for the Third Edition. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 9 Aug. 2024 The latter was aged in bourbon barrels, quarter casks, and Pedro Ximenez sherry hogsheads; the former was matured in bourbon barrels, then put into quarter casks, and finally aged in European oak Oloroso sherry casks. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 8 July 2024 Volume was measured by the hogshead, a cask or a barrel that holds sixty-three gallons. Paige Williams, The New Yorker, 17 June 2024 Trott sent the trio back to the Fancy, weighed down with a cask of wine, a hogshead of beer and a cask of sugar, as well as permission for Avery to land at his leisure. Sean Kingsley, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024 This new 15-year-old single malt is a limited-edition expression that was initially aged in hogsheads for 13 years before being finished in barrels used to age reposado and añejo tequila for a final two years. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 7 Jan. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hogshead was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near hogshead

Cite this Entry

“Hogshead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hogshead. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

hogshead

noun
hogs·​head ˈhȯgz-ˌhed How to pronounce hogshead (audio)
ˈhägz-
1
: a large cask or barrel
2
: any of various units of capacity
especially : a U.S. unit for liquids equal to 63 gallons (about 238 liters)

More from Merriam-Webster on hogshead

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