butter knife
- a small knife with a dull blade, for cutting, serving, or spreading butter.
Origin of butter knife
First recorded in 1840–50
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for butter knife
Historical Examples
"It's my practice to mix the bitter with the sweet," said the doctor, waving the butter-knife.
Prudy Keeping HouseSophie May
Always take butter with the butter-knife, and then do not forget to return that knife to the butter-plate.
Set the butter on two plates, one on either side, with a butter-knife by each.
A Treatise on Domestic EconomyCatherine Esther Beecher
Always make use of the butter-knife, sugar-spoon and salt-spoon, instead of using your knife, spoon or fingers.
Our DeportmentJohn H. Young
Use the butter-knife, salt-spoon, and sugar-tongs as scrupulously when alone, as if a room full of people were watching you.
The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of PolitenessFlorence Hartley