dishtowel

American

[dish-tou-uhl] / ˈdɪʃˌtaʊ əl /

noun

a towel for drying dishes.

dishtowel British

/ ˈdɪʃˌtaʊəl /

noun

Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): tea towel. a towel for drying dishes and kitchen utensils

"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 dishtowel

First recorded in 1865–70; dish + towel

Compare meaning

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

tea towel vs. dishtowel

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.

See Examples For:

dishtowel

Spread the seeds in a single layer on a dishtowel to thoroughly dry, at least 3 hours, preferably 12 or more.

From Washington Times ● Oct. 26, 2023

Or fashion your own sheath, even if it’s just a dishtowel secured with rubber bands.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 15, 2019

Then she took them steaming in the dishtowel to the couch.

From The New Yorker ● May 6, 2019

She reached for a thin blue dishtowel, and wiped tears from her eyes.

From The Guardian ● Jul. 4, 2015

She threw down the dishtowel; before she could leave the kitchen Henry stuck his head in the door and said, “Hey.”

From "Go Set a Watchman: A Novel" by Harper Lee

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