/keuhn tay"neuhr/ , n.
1. anything that contains or can contain something, as a carton, box, crate, or can.
2. a large, vanlike, reuseable box for consolidating smaller crates or cartons into a single shipment, designed for easy and fast loading and unloading of freight.
[ 1400-50 for an earlier sense; 1495-1505 for def. 1; late ME conteiner; see CONTAIN, -ER 1 ]