cup

A cup is a small vessel for drinking, typically with a rounded bottom and, in some designs, a handle. Cups are made from ceramic, glass, metal, plastic, or bamboo, and their capacities range from a few tens of milliliters to several hundred.

In cooking and nutrition, a cup is also a unit of volume. In the United States, a customary cup equals 8 fluid ounces, about 237 milliliters; many recipe books round this to 240 ml. Other countries use different cup sizes, commonly around 250 ml.

Cups are used for everyday beverages such as water, tea, and coffee, and are typically designed to be used with a saucer. They are generally smaller and lighter than mugs, with thinner rims and walls, though designs vary widely.

In sport, “Cup” refers to a trophy awarded in knockout tournaments and to the competitions themselves. Examples include the FIFA World Cup and national cup tournaments such as the FA Cup in England. Cup formats often invite teams to compete in a series of rounds, with the final match determining the winner.

The term also appears in other contexts, including botany, where it denotes a cuplike shape or structure in certain flowers and fruits.