griddle
Americannoun
-
a frying pan with a handle and a slightly raised edge, for cooking pancakes, bacon, etc., over direct heat.
-
any flat, heated surface, especially on the top of a stove, for cooking food.
a quick breakfast from the luncheonette's griddle.
-
Upstate New York Older Use. a circular lid covering an opening on the cooking surface of a wood or coal-burning stove.
verb (used with object)
noun
-
Also called: girdle. a thick round iron plate with a half hoop handle over the top, for making scones, etc
-
any flat heated surface, esp on the top of a stove, for cooking food
verb
Etymology
Origin of griddle
1175–1225; Middle English gridel, gredil < Old French gridil, gredil; see grill 1
Explanation
A griddle is a flat pan or stovetop that's used for cooking things quickly at high temperatures. Let's make pancakes on the griddle for breakfast. Yum! In a home kitchen, a griddle can be either a special metal pan. part of your stove, or a small appliance that you plug in; a restaurant griddle has a much larger surface. No matter what its size, the flat surface of a griddle gets hot fast, so you can easily whip up some scrambled eggs, hash browns, or bacon. Griddle originally meant "shallow frying pan," and it shares a root with grill.
Vocabulary lists containing griddle
A Toast to Bread
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 List of Things That Will Not Change
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!
Twenty-Four Seconds from Now
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.
The Latin American griddle known as a budare that Sasha Correa’s father gave her, before she left Venezuela for Spain, kept her connected to her homeland, her family and her heritage.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025
Although the queen does not provide the instruction, the pancakes are then cooked on a hot griddle.
From BBC • Feb. 28, 2025
Grab some griddle cakes We used to go to Patrick’s Roadhouse for breakfast, but sadly, it’s closed, which is devastating because it’s always been a staple.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 7, 2025
As you know, Benihana grills meat and shrimp on a griddle, using soy sauce as a seasoning.
From Salon • Sep. 10, 2024
She’s standing at the griddle, holding a spatula.
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
![]()
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.