A tankard is a large drinking cup with a handle and often a hinged lid on top. Tankards were traditionally made from pewter, silver, or ceramic, and they held beer, ale, or cider. Picture a sturdy mug that could hold about as much liquid as a modern water bottle, heavy enough that you'd need a good grip to lift it when full.

In medieval taverns and inns, people drank from tankards instead of glasses. The lid served a practical purpose: it kept flies and dust out of the drink, and in some places, laws actually required covered drinking vessels for sanitary reasons. A traveler might have had their own personal tankard that they carried with them, sometimes decorated with their family crest or initials.

Today you might see tankards in museums, at Renaissance fairs, or in fantasy movies where characters gather in torch-lit halls for feasts. Some families still own antique tankards passed down through generations. While we mostly use regular glasses and mugs now, the word tankard reminds us of an era when a sturdy drinking vessel was both a practical tool and a prized possession.