cup
UK[kʌp]US[kʌp]
n
A small, round container, usually with a handle, used for drinking tea, coffee, etc.
n
The contents of a cup, or the amount it holds.
n
A specially shaped metal container given as a prize in a sports competition.
v
To put your hands in the shape of a cup.
Etymology
The English word 'cup' descends directly from the Old English 'cuppe', which referred to a drinking vessel. This term was borrowed from Late Latin 'cuppa', meaning a 'cup' or 'tub'. Latin 'cuppa' is itself a variant of 'cūpa', denoting a 'tub' or 'cask', a word of uncertain but likely non-Indo-European origin. The semantic journey from a general container like a 'tub' to the more specific modern 'drinking vessel' illustrates a common process of semantic narrowing, where a word's meaning becomes more specialized over time.
Analysis
The word 'cup' is a simplex word of Old English origin. It functions as a single, indivisible lexical unit.
Examples
She poured the tea into a china cup.
He drank a cup of coffee while reading the newspaper.
The team worked hard to win the championship cup.