Definition

Noun: 1. A container for wine made from an animal skin: A wineskin is a traditional bag or container, typically made from the whole skin of a goat or sheep, which is used for storing, transporting, and serving wine. It is sealed and often has a spout.

Usage

A wineskin is a historical and practical vessel. It is portable, durable, and helps keep wine cool through evaporation from the porous leather. It is often associated with pastoral, historical, or traditional settings. - The traveler carried his water and wine in a leather wineskin. - In ancient times, people often used a wineskin to bring wine to festivals.

Advanced Usage

• Cultural and Historical Reference: The term frequently appears in historical, biblical, or literary contexts to evoke a pre-modern era.
  • The parable mentioned a man putting new wine into old wineskins.

Variants and Related Words

• Wine bottle (n): A modern glass or ceramic container for wine.
• Wineskin is a compound noun formed from "wine" + "skin." There are no common verb or adjective forms derived directly from "wineskin."

Synonyms

• Wine bag: A more general modern term.
• Leather bottle: A descriptive synonym emphasizing the material.

Idioms and Phrases

• New wine in old wineskins: An idiom originating from biblical texts (e.g., Matthew 9:17), meaning a new, dynamic principle or system is incompatible with old, rigid structures and will cause them to fail.
  • Trying to implement agile methods in that bureaucratic company is like putting new wine into old wineskins.

Noun

1. an animal skin (usually a goatskin) that forms a bag and is used to hold and dispense wine