Goblets

A goblet is a drinking vessel with a stem, a bowl-shaped cup, and a foot, designed to be held by the stem rather than the rim. This design helps keep the drink from warming in the hand and is typical of stemware used for wine and ceremonial toasts.

Goblets are made from a range of materials, including glass, crystal, metal (such as silver, pewter, or gold), ceramic, and sometimes wood. Glass and crystal goblets are often produced by blowing or molding, with crystal goblets incorporating lead oxide or other additives to enhance brilliance. Many goblets are decorated or engraved, particularly in fine dining sets or ceremonial contexts.

Historically, stemmed cups appear across ancient and medieval traditions. In Europe, goblets became common among the nobility during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, with later centuries seeing elaborate cut crystal goblets from regions such as Bohemia, England, and beyond. In religious contexts, a chalice is a specialized liturgical vessel used for the Eucharist; while a goblet can function as a drinking cup, a chalice is typically more specifically associated with sacred rites and ornamentation.

In modern usage, goblets are employed for formal dining, wine service, toasts, and collectors’ pieces. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with wine cup or stemmed cup, though chalice remains a distinct term for a sacred vessel. Etymology traces goblet to the Old French gobelet, a diminutive form related to swallowing.