mid-15c., "one who comprises or encompasses," agent noun from contain. From c. 1500 as "that which contains."
Entries linking to container
contain v.
c. 1300, "restrain (someone), control (oneself), behave (in a certain way)," from Old French contein-, tonic stem of contenir, from Latin continere (transitive) "to hold together, enclose," from assimilated form of com "with, together" (see con-) + tenere "to hold" (from PIE root *ten- "to stretch").
From mid-14c. as "to have (something) as a constituent part;" from late 14c. as "have something inside, enclose." Related: Contained; containing; containable.