Meaning & use
a goblet
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A drinking cup with a wide bowl and a stem, often made of glass or metal and used on formal occasions.
Grammar: Countable: one goblet, two goblets. Often used with 'of' to show what it contains: a goblet of wine.
Patterns
- a goblet of something
- raise a goblet
- a silver goblet
She poured water into a crystal goblet.
The king raised a golden goblet to toast his guests.
Each place setting had a goblet for wine and a smaller glass for water.
Word forms
| plural | goblets |
|---|
Common combinations
- a goblet of wine
- He offered me a goblet of red wine.
- raise a goblet
- They raised a goblet to celebrate the victory.
- a crystal goblet
- The table was set with crystal goblets.
- a golden goblet
- The museum displayed a golden goblet from ancient times.
Synonyms and how they differ
- chalice
- A chalice is a large goblet used mainly in religious ceremonies; 'goblet' is more general and used for everyday or formal dining.
- wine glass
- A wine glass is a specific type of glass for wine; a goblet is a broader term for any stemmed drinking cup with a bowl.
- cup
- A cup is a general word for any small drinking container, often without a stem; a goblet always has a stem and a wide bowl.
Commonly confused: a goblet or goblin? a goblet or gobbet?
a goblet vs goblin
A goblin is a small imaginary creature; a goblet is a drinking cup. They sound similar but are completely different.
a goblet vs gobbet
A gobbet is a small piece of something, often food or text; a goblet is a cup. The spelling is close but the meanings are unrelated.
Practice
The king drank from a jeweled ______ at the banquet.
Choose one answer.
'Goblet' is the correct word for a decorative drinking cup. 'Goblin' is a creature, 'gobbet' is a piece, and 'goblet's' is a possessive form that does not fit here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a goblet”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.