demijohn

plural demijohns · alternative demi-john

1. A large bottle with a short neck, sometimes with two small handles at the neck, sometimes encased in wickerwork.

   “Reckon it's first-drink time,” the old prospector cried cheerily, and unearthed Monica's two-gallon demijohn.

   1920, Peter B. Kyne, chapter VIII, in The Understanding Heart

   1 more example

   Toby, placing his gold-rimmed spectacles on his nose, set our dinner to simmer and uncorked a demijohn of the old Verfeuille red which glowed in our glasses with the embers of old recollections of half-forgotten journeys and excursions of our youth by the light of the moon.

   1974, Lawrence Durrell, Monsieur, Faber & Faber, published 1992, page 234

   Synonyms: carboy