A pitcher is a container with a spout used for storing and pouring contents which are liquid in form

Liquid

Liquid is one of the three classical states of matter . Like a gas, a liquid is able to flow and take the shape of a container. Some liquids resist compression, while others can be compressed. Unlike a gas, a liquid does not disperse to fill every space of a container, and maintains a fairly...

. Generally a pitcher also has a handle

Handle (grip)

A handle is a part of, or attachment to, an object that can be moved or used by hand. The design of each type of handle involves substantial ergonomic issues, even where these are dealt with intuitively or by following tradition...

, which makes pouring easier.

A ewer is a vase-shaped pitcher, often decorated, with a base and a flaring spout. An example of a ewer would be the America's Cup

America's Cup

The America’s Cup is a trophy awarded to the winner of the America's Cup match races between two yachts. One yacht, known as the defender, represents the yacht club that currently holds the America's Cup and the second yacht, known as the challenger, represents the yacht club that is challenging...

 given to the winner of the America's Cup sailing regatta match.

Etymology

The word "pitcher" comes from the 13th century Middle English word

Middle English

Middle English is the stage in the history of the English language during the High and Late Middle Ages, or roughly during the four centuries between the late 11th and the late 15th century....

 picher, which means earthen jug. The word picher is linked to the old French word

Old French

Old French was the Romance dialect continuum spoken in territories that span roughly the northern half of modern France and parts of modern Belgium and Switzerland from the 9th century to the 14th century...

 pichier which is the altered version of the word bichier, meaning drinking cup. The pitcher’s origin goes as far back to the Medieval Latin word bicarium from the Greek word bikos, which meant earthen vessel. Compare with Dutch beker, German Becher and English beaker.

Early recording

An early depiction of a usage of a pitcher was when the Bible

Bible

The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...

 mentions of Rebekah coming to Abraham bearing a vessel with water. In the gospel of Mark

Gospel of Mark

The Gospel According to Mark , commonly shortened to the Gospel of Mark or simply Mark, is the second book of the New Testament. This canonical account of the life of Jesus of Nazareth is one of the three synoptic gospels. It was thought to be an epitome, which accounts for its place as the second...

 in the bible, a pitcher which bears water is also mentioned when Jesus

Jesus

Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...

 asks two of his disciples to come into the city of Jerusalem where they would meet a man who carries this water vessel; they were then instructed to follow this man. Another excerpt from the bible mentions empty pitchers with lamps given to three hundred men divided into three companies, in the Book of Judges

Book of Judges

The Book of Judges is the seventh book of the Hebrew bible and the Christian Old Testament. Its title describes its contents: it contains the history of Biblical judges, divinely inspired prophets whose direct knowledge of Yahweh allows them to act as decision-makers for the Israelites, as...

. Other religions have been known to use such water vessels, one of which is the notable Pitcher of Marawan Ibn Mohammad

Marwan II

Marwan ibn Muhammad ibn Marwan or Marwan II was an Umayyad caliph who ruled from 744 until 750 when he was killed. He was the last Umayyad ruler to rule from Damascus.In A.H. 114 Caliph Hisham appointed Marwan governor of Armenia and Azerbaijan. In A.H...

 which predates 8th century AD. The artifact was acquired and unearthed by archeologists on May 15, 1930, currently it is on display at the Museum of Islamic Art in Egypt

Egypt

Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...

.

Idiomatic usage

"Little pitchers have big ears" is a proverb. The phrase depicts a child as the pitcher with ears hearing what people around them say or do, which is stored inside. The adults are also cautioned that the children might not be as naïve as they perceive them to be.

See also

• Amphora
  Amphora
  An amphora is a type of vase-shaped, usually ceramic container with two handles and a long neck narrower than the body...
  
  
• Aquamanile
  Aquamanile
  In modern usage, an aquamanile is a ewer or jug-type vessel in the form of one or more animal or human figures. It usually contained water for the washing of hands over a basin, which was part of both upper-class meals and the Christian Eucharist...
  
  
• Bridge spouted vessel
  Bridge spouted vessel
  A bridge spouted vessel is a particular design of pitcher originating in antiquity; there is typically a connecting element between the spout and filling aperture, and the spout is a completely independent aperture from the usually smaller central fill opening. Early incidences of the bridge...
  
  
• Hydria
  Hydria
  A hydria is a type of Greek pottery used for carrying water. The hydria has three handles. Two horizontal handles on either side of the body of the pot were used for lifting and carrying the pot. The third handle, a vertical one, located in the center of the other two handles, was used when...
  
  
• Jar
  Jar
  A jar is a rigid, approximately cylindrical container with a wide mouth or opening. Jars are typically made of glass, ceramic, or plastic. They are used for foods, cosmetics, medications, and chemicals that are relatively thick or viscous...
  
  
• Jug (container)
  Jug (container)
  A jug is a type of container used to hold liquid. It has an opening, often narrow, from which to pour or drink, and nearly always has a handle. One could imagine a jug being made from nearly any watertight material, but most jugs throughout history have been made from clay, glass, or plastic...
  
  
• Porron
  Porron
  A porró, porrón, or porron is a traditional glass wine pitcher, typical of Catalonia and Aragon but well-known in other parts of Spain. It resembles a cross between a wine bottle and a watering can. The top of the bottle is narrow and can be sealed off with a cork...