cutlery
Americannoun
-
cutting instruments collectively, especially knives for cutting food.
-
utensils, as knives, forks, and spoons, used at the table for serving and eating food.
-
the trade or business of a cutler.
noun
-
implements used for eating, such as knives, forks, and spoons
-
instruments used for cutting
-
the art or business of a cutler
Etymology
Origin of cutlery
1300–50; Middle English cutellerie < Middle French coutelerie; see cutler, -y 3
Explanation
The spoons, forks, and knives in your kitchen drawer? They're collectively referred to as cutlery, the implements you use when you eat food. Dig in! You can use the noun cutlery for every single kitchen tool you use to serve or prepare food, but it's most commonly used for the ones you put beside your plate when you set the table. Other terms for cutlery include flatware and silverware. As you might guess from the cut within the word, cutlery was originally used only for cutting utensils — knives, in other words.
Vocabulary lists containing cutlery
Pestle, Sieve, and Whisk: Useful Words for Cooking Tools
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Chocolate Touch
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocabulary for January 7–January 13, 2023
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
In addition to ingredients, your budget should account for any decor, plates and cutlery.
From Salon • Jun. 21, 2026
A slamming door or cutlery being dropped makes him jump.
From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026
Certain coins, pieces of jewelry or select flatware or serving pieces — even grandma’s cutlery — can have added value.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 31, 2025
With vivid details and a dose of British humor, Losada relays her failed attempt to have lunch at a Whole Foods store without using its disposable plastic cutlery.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 24, 2025
At this all the china and cutlery scrambled down off the table, the doth emptied the crumbs out of the window, and the napkins folded themselves up.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
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.
