ashtray
n. countablen. a small container used to hold cigarette ashes and butts. You usually find them on tables or desks in places where people smoke.
n. a receptacle, typically made of glass, ceramic, or metal, designed to hold the ashes and butts of cigarettes or cigars.
He put his cigarette in the ashtray.
The waiter placed a fresh ashtray on the table to accommodate the guests who were smoking.
While modern public spaces often ban smoking entirely, many private offices still keep an ashtray on the desk for those who prefer to smoke in designated areas.
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂eHs-der.? Proto-Germanic *askǭ Proto-West Germanic *askā Old English æsce Middle English asshe English ash Proto-Germanic *trawją Proto-West Germanic *trawi Old English trēġ Middle English trey English tray English ashtray From ash + tray. Compare German Aschenbecher.