tupperware
HighInformal, Everyday
Definition
Meaning
A proprietary name for a brand of airtight, plastic food storage containers.
Used generically to refer to any similar plastic food container, often regardless of the actual brand; can metaphorically represent domesticity, suburban life, or organized practicality.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
A trademark (Tupperware®) that has undergone genericization to a large degree. The original brand is known for its home sales parties. Use of the lowercase 't' (tupperware) often indicates the generic use.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in meaning. The brand and its products are equally well-known. The practice of 'Tupperware parties' is culturally established in both regions.
Connotations
Connotations of practicality, thrift, home-making, and 1950s-70s suburban culture are similar. May have a slightly dated or nostalgic feel for younger speakers.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties. The generic use is very common in everyday speech.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Keep/put/stored in + Tupperwarea piece/bit of + TupperwareTupperware + full of + foodVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Informal] Life in plastic (referencing Tupperware and suburban conformity)”
- “[Metaphorical] The Tupperware of ideas (something neatly packaged and preserved)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in contexts of marketing, retail, or discussions of brand genericization.
Academic
Rare, may appear in sociological studies of post-war consumer culture or trademark law.
Everyday
Very common for discussing food storage, leftovers, and kitchen organization.
Technical
Not applicable.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She tupperwared the leftover curry for tomorrow's lunch.
- I'll tupperware these biscuits to keep them fresh.
American English
- He tupperwared the salad before putting it in the fridge.
- Just tupperware the rest of the pie.
adverb
British English
- (Not standard; no established adverbial use.)
American English
- (Not standard; no established adverbial use.)
adjective
British English
- It had a distinct Tupperware smell.
- The whole system felt a bit Tupperware, all neat compartments.
American English
- She hated the Tupperware aesthetic of the kitchen.
- It was a Tupperware solution to a complex problem.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My sandwich is in the blue Tupperware.
- We have a Tupperware party at my mum's house.
- Could you pass me that Tupperware lid, please?
- I store all my pasta in old Tupperware containers.
- The fridge was a chaotic jumble of mismatched Tupperware.
- Her meticulously organised freezer, with its labelled Tupperware, was a thing of beauty.
- The debate was characterised by a kind of intellectual Tupperware, with ideas hermetically sealed from outside critique.
- The brand's name has become a victim of its own success, genericised to the point of lowercase usage in common parlance.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'Tupper' (like the lid *taps* shut) and 'ware' (like kitchenware) - it's the kitchenware that taps shut.
Conceptual Metaphor
PRESERVATION IS CONTAINMENT (The Tupperware keeps the food fresh). DOMESTIC ORGANIZATION IS A SEALED SYSTEM.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid a direct, nonsensical transliteration. It is not a type of clothing or software.
- The generic use is akin to 'ксерокс' for photocopier – it's a brand name used for all similar items.
- Do not confuse with 'контейнер' in a general shipping/industrial sense; it is specifically for food.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling: 'Tupperwear', 'Tupperware'.
- Using it as a countable noun without an article: 'I need tupperware for my salad' (correct) vs. 'I need a tupperware' (less standard, though increasingly heard).
Practice
Quiz
What is the most accurate description of the word 'Tupperware' in modern common usage?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In informal, generic use, lowercase is common and reflects its status as a genericised trademark. In formal writing or when referring specifically to the brand, the uppercase 'T' (Tupperware®) is required.
Yes, informally. To 'tupperware' something means to put it into a Tupperware or similar plastic container (e.g., 'I'll tupperware the rest of the cake'). This is informal and more common in speech.
A direct sales party hosted in a private home where Tupperware products are demonstrated and sold. It was a iconic social and sales phenomenon, particularly in the mid-20th century.
No. Technically, only products made by the Tupperware Brands Corporation are Tupperware. However, due to genericization, many people use the term for any similar plastic container, much like using 'hoover' for any vacuum cleaner.