A Pitcher Holds Water, Throws a Ball, or Eats Insects
A pitcher is a jug, a baseball position, and a carnivorous plant. Three unrelated meanings share one spelling.
A pitcher is a large jug for pouring — the standard American word for what Britain calls a jug. Two other pitchers have nothing to do with it: the baseball player who pitches the ball, and the pitcher plant, whose leaves form vessels that trap and digest insects.
- A jug (American). *A pitcher of water.*
- The player who throws in baseball. *The starting pitcher.*
- Pitcher plant — a carnivorous plant. *A tropical pitcher plant.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | pitcher | A glass pitcher. |
| Plural | pitchers | Two pitchers. |
| Verb | pitch | Pitch the ball. |
| British | jug | A jug of milk. |
| Related | ewer | An antique ewer. |
How it is used in a sentence
- He brought a pitcher of iced tea.American English.
- The pitcher struck out three batters.Baseball.
- Pitcher plants trap insects in fluid.Botany.
Vessels for pouring
- Jug — the standard British word
- Pitcher — the American equivalent, usually large
- Ewer — a tall jug, often decorative
- Carafe — for wine or water at table
- Decanter — a stoppered glass vessel for wine or spirits
The jug comes from Old French *pichier*, from Medieval Latin *bicarium*, a wine vessel. The baseball sense comes from the verb *pitch*, to throw, which is a different word entirely.
Pitcher or jug?
Pitcher is American, jug British. In Britain a pitcher sounds like a large earthenware vessel from a novel.
How does a pitcher plant work?
Its leaf forms a tube containing fluid. Insects are attracted by nectar, slip on the waxy rim and cannot climb out.