cooler
UK: ˈkuːlə | US: ˈkuːlər
n. a container or device for keeping items cool
n. (slang) a prison or detention facility
n. a drink served chilled
The word "cooler" combines "cool" (from Old English cōl, meaning "moderately cold") with the suffix "-er," which denotes an object or device performing a function. Originally referring to anything that cools (e.g., a vessel for cooling liquids), its slang meaning ("prison") emerged in 19th-century American English, likely due to the association of jails with damp, cold conditions. The term retains its core logic of temperature regulation across all meanings.
She packed the drinks in a cooler for the picnic.
The suspect spent a night in the cooler after the arrest.
This insulated cooler keeps ice frozen for 24 hours.
He ordered a tropical cooler at the beach bar.
Police took the protesters to the local cooler.