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Synonyms

silverware

American  
[sil-ver-wair] / ˈsɪl vərˌwɛər /

noun

  1. articles, especially eating and serving utensils, made of silver, silver-plated metals, stainless steel, etc.

silverware British  
/ ˈsɪlvəˌwɛə /

noun

  1. articles, esp tableware, made of or plated with silver

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of silverware

First recorded in 1780–90; silver + ware 1

Compare meaning

How does silverware compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

Explanation

The tools you use to eat your food, including spoons, forks, and knives, are called silverware. Some silverware is actually made of silver, but silverware made of stainless steel is much more common these days. If you're eating with a shiny plastic fork, don't call it silverware; call it plasticware. However, if you're eating with a stainless steel fork, you can get away with calling it silverware. Traditionally, fancy cutlery (or silverware) has been made of sterling silver. This is where the word silverware came from in the late 1800s. It's such a common term in the U.S. today that many people use it for knives, forks, spoons, and serving implements no matter what metal they're made of.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

And victory in Turkey will not only earn silverware but a spot in next season's Champions League.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

Palace fans will no doubt feel the same should their side go all the way and claim yet more silverware in a memorable 12 months.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

Their chances of winning silverware this season were already slim, but a late moment of indiscipline from Eduardo Camavinga in Munich, followed by two even later Bayern goals, leave Los Blancos needing a miracle.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

By 10 a.m., servers at the Geneva location were carrying in armfuls of coffee cups, bowls, serrated knives and silverware.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

Mrs. Leftwich and Mama exchanged pleasantries, and I entertained myself counting and recounting the silverware.

From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.