kitchen

American  

[kich-uhn] / ˈkɪtʃ ən /

noun

kitchens plural

1. a room or place equipped for cooking.

   The apartment has a full kitchen with an oven and dishwasher.

2. the staff involved in food preparation in a restaurant or eatery.

   He called the kitchen to make sure they could accommodate his allergies.

3. culinary department; cuisine.

   This restaurant has a fine Italian kitchen.

4. the equipment and fixtures needed to make a room suitable for cooking.

   We bought a kitchen, but it still needs to be installed.

5. Sports. (on a pickleball court) a seven-foot zone on either side of the net from which players are prohibited from returning the ball before it hits the ground.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or designed for use in a room equipped for cooking.

   There's a view of the yard from the kitchen window.

   We got a new, more colorful set of kitchen curtains.

2. employed in or assigned to a place or business that makes food.

   Kitchen staff and volunteers worked together to feed over 500 food-insecure people.

kitchen British  

/ ˈkɪtʃɪn /

noun

1. 1. a room or part of a building equipped for preparing and cooking food

   2. ( as modifier )

      a kitchen table

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kitchen Idioms  

1. see everything but the kitchen sink; if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• outkitchen
  noun
• kitchenless
  adjective
• kitcheny
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• kitchens
  plural

Etymology

Origin of kitchen

First recorded before 1000; Middle English kichene, Old English cycene ≪ Latin coquīna, equivalent to coqu(ere) “to cook” + -īna -ine ¹; cf. cuisine

Explanation

People always hang out in the kitchen at a party because a kitchen is where the food is. Restaurants have kitchens too, but only the kitchen staff hangs out in there. A kitchen is a room that’s meant for cooking. Whether you're making a four-course meal or microwave popcorn, the kitchen is where the magic happens. Schools, hospitals, and restaurants have kitchens. The word kitchen can also be used as an adjective. Guess where the kitchen cabinets are? If someone says you’ve packed everything but the kitchen sink, your suitcase is overflowing. And you should totally go back and get that sink. The Old English root of kitchen is from the Vulgar Latin cocina, rooted in coquere, "cook."

Example Sentences

Kitchen sponges are a staple in most homes, but they may also be an overlooked source of microplastic pollution.

From Science Daily • Jun. 1, 2026

Leith had been sharing the impact the book Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain had on her - ultimately boosting her efforts to address misogyny in the hospitality industry.

From BBC • May 27, 2026

“It gives you perspective of what the neighborhood of Hell’s Kitchen really was like,” Keys said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2026

After moving from Seattle to Oklahoma about 20 years ago, she worked on farms before opening Living Kitchen, a restaurant attached to her own farm.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

Sometimes you’re convinced it’s the White Plastic Kitchen.

From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman

Related Words

• gallery