Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

Dutch oven

American  

noun

  1. a heavily constructed kettle with a close-fitting lid, used for pot roasts, stews, etc.

  2. a metal utensil, open in front, for roasting before an open fire.

  3. a brick oven in which the walls are preheated for cooking.


Dutch oven British  

noun

  1. an iron or earthenware container with a cover used for stews, etc

  2. a metal box, open in front, for cooking in front of an open fire

"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

Usage

What else does Dutch oven mean? In cooking, a Dutch oven is a type of heavy pot with a lid. But in slang, a Dutch oven is when you pass gas in bed and pull the covers over someone else's head, trapping it in like a Dutch oven traps heat. How is Dutch oven pronounced?[ duhch uhv-uhn ]

Etymology

Origin of Dutch oven

First recorded in 1760–70

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:

The first kitchen tools on my must-replace list were: a microplane and a Staub Dutch oven.

From The Wall Street Journal Feb. 11, 2026

For King Arthur Baking, Kye Ameden evaluated Dutch oven breads, while PJ Hamel tested two dozen recipes; both found plenty to praise.

From Seattle Times Apr. 2, 2024

In a large Dutch oven or deep, heavy bottomed pan with a lid, pour oil just to coat and barely cover bottom.

From Salon Jan. 11, 2024

“I just bought a Staub Dutch oven for like $100. And it’s normally like $400.”

From Los Angeles Times Dec. 3, 2023

I finished the rest of the peaches—slicing them and filling the Dutch oven.

From "It All Comes Down to This" by Karen English

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training