utensil

American  

[yoo-ten-suhl] / yuˈtɛn səl /

noun

1. any of the instruments or vessels commonly used in a kitchen, dairy, etc..

   eating utensils; baking utensils.

2. any instrument, vessel, or tool serving a useful purpose.

   smoking utensils; fishing utensils; farming utensils.

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utensil British  

/ juːˈtɛnsəl /

noun

1. an implement, tool, or container for practical use

   writing utensils

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Usage

What are other ways to say utensil? A utensil refers to any instrument or vessel serving a useful purpose, especially those commonly used in a kitchen. When should you use this noun over tool, instrument, or implement? Learn more on Thesaurus.com.

Etymology

Origin of utensil

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English (collective singular): “household articles,” from Middle French utensile, from Latin ūtēnsilia, neuter plural of ūtēnsilis “useful,” derivative of ūtī “to use”; use

Example Sentences

Do they expect to use your silverware or should they buy some plastic utensils?

From MarketWatch

Anera says its kitchens also lack utensils, packaging and canisters of gas, with which it would be cleaner to cook.

From BBC

When some people criticized him for eating biryani, a rice-and-meat dish, with his hands rather than with utensils, many Indians rose to his defense.

From The Wall Street Journal

The products are attracting new waves of buyers and have made the writing utensils more popular than ever.

From The Wall Street Journal

But you can prolong their life with a few easy moves: Avoid metal utensils and high heat, both of which weaken their coating, and hand-wash them after they’ve cooled.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• appliance
• equipment
• fork
• gadget
• instrument
• knife
• silverware
• tableware
• ware