# bottle

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈbɒt.l̩/ · frequency rank #2,613

## Definitions
1. A container, typically made of glass or plastic and having a tapered neck, used primarily for holding liquids.
2. The contents of such a container.
3. A container with a rubber nipple used for giving liquids to infants, a baby bottle.
4. (originally bottle and glass as rhyming slang for "arse") Nerve, courage.
5. A container of hair dye, hence with one’s hair color produced by dyeing.
6. Intoxicating liquor; alcohol.

## Etymology
Etymology tree
Latin buttis
Proto-Indo-European *-lós
Proto-Italic *-elos
Latin -ulus
Latin -culus
Late Latin butticula
Old French boteillebor.
Middle English botel
English bottle
From Middle English botel (“bottle, flask, wineskin”), from Old French boteille, from Late Latin butticula, diminutive of buttis (“cask”). Doublet of botija.
Displaced native pinne and non-native Old English ampella. Broadly overtook Old English flasce.

## Easily confused with
- **Boyle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bottle-vs-boyle)
- **butte** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bottle-vs-butte)
- **bottom** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bottle-vs-bottom)
- **bustle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bottle-vs-bustle)
- **bottles** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bottle-vs-bottles)
- **bottled** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bottle-vs-bottled)
- **brittle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bottle-vs-brittle)
- **Bette** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bette-vs-bottle)
- **battle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/battle-vs-bottle)
- **beetle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/beetle-vs-bottle)
- **bobble** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bobble-vs-bottle)
- **Beatle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/beatle-vs-bottle)
- **battles** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/battles-vs-bottle)
- **battled** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/battled-vs-bottle)
- **bootleg** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bootleg-vs-bottle)

## Common misspellings (7)
`bbottle`, `botle`, `botlte`, `bottel`, `bottlle`, `btotle`, `obttle`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/bottle