-
Definition
-
Definition
-
Did you know?
-
Example Sentences
-
Word History
-
Related Articles
-
Podcast
-
Entries Near
-
- To save this word, you'll need to log in.
Methuselah
noun
Did you know?
What do Jeroboam, Methuselah, Salmanazar, Balthazar, and Nebuchadnezzar have in common? Larger-than-life biblical figures all, yes (four kings and a venerable patriarch), but they're all also names of oversized wine bottles. A Jeroboam is usually the equivalent of about four 750-milliliter bottles (about 3 liters). One Methuselah holds about eight standard bottles' worth, a Salmanazar 12, a Balthazar 16, and a Nebuchadnezzar a whopping 20. (Each of these terms is also sometimes styled lowercase.) No one knows who decided to use those names for bottles, but we do know that by the 1800s Jeroboam was being used for large goblets or "enormous bottles of fabulous content." It wasn't until sometime early in the 20th century that Methuselah and all the other names were chosen for specific bottle sizes.
Examples of Methuselah in a Sentence
Word History
Hebrew Mĕthūshelaḥ
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Podcast
Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP
Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!
Dictionary Entries Near Methuselah
Cite this Entry
“Methuselah.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Methuselah. Accessed 8 Jan. 2025.
More from Merriam-Webster on Methuselah
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Methuselah
Share