What does anker mean?
The anker was a unit of liquid capacity used across Europe from roughly the medieval period into the nineteenth century, primarily for measuring wine, brandy, and other spirits. In England it was standardized at about ten imperial gallons, but elsewhere its size varied considerably — Dutch, Danish, and German ankers all differed — so the term described a convenient trade quantity rather than a fixed volume. Merchants and customs officials recorded shipments in ankers, and the word also named the cask itself, much as 'barrel' does today. Though long obsolete, the anker survives in historical ledgers, maritime archives, and period fiction, where it lends authenticity to scenes of early modern commerce. Its near-homophony with 'anchor' makes it a frequent source of confusion for modern readers, but the two words share no connection beyond their similar sound.
A former unit of liquid capacity, chiefly for wine and spirits, equal to about 10 imperial gallons in England and varying in size across other European countries.
"The invoice listed twelve ankers of Spanish brandy consigned to the London docks."
Chiefly historical; values quoted in ankers vary by country and era.
A cask or container holding approximately one anker of liquid.
"A dusty anker of rum sat forgotten in the cellar of the old warehouse."
Standard pluralization; used when stating quantities in trade or customs contexts.
"The ship's manifest recorded fifty ankers of Rhenish wine."
Pronounced aloud, 'anker' sounds exactly like 'anchor' — but this word once measured your brandy, not held your ship.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of anker
The anker entered English from Dutch and Low German trading vocabulary, reflecting the dominance of Dutch merchants in the northern European wine and spirits trade during the early modern period. The measure was adopted into English commercial usage, where it was fixed at around ten gallons for wine and spirits. Its deeper linguistic origins are uncertain, and it should not be assumed to be related to the nautical term 'anchor' despite their similar forms.
How anker is actually used
Anker is now almost entirely historical, encountered mainly in old trade documents, customs ledgers, and literature describing early modern commerce. Because its value differed between countries and even between commodities, figures given in ankers should be treated as approximate.
Easily confused with anker
An anchor is a heavy implement dropped from a ship to hold it in place, while an anker is a former unit of liquid measurement for wine and spirits; the two words are near-identical in sound but entirely unrelated in meaning.