kitchenette

American  

[kich-uh-net] / ˌkɪtʃ əˈnɛt /

Or kitchenet

noun

1. a very small, compact kitchen.

---

kitchenette British  

/ ˌkɪtʃɪˈnɛt /

noun

1. a small kitchen or part of another room equipped for use as a kitchen

---

Etymology

Origin of kitchenette

An Americanism dating back to 1905–10; kitchen + -ette

Explanation

A kitchenette is a very small, scaled-down area for doing basic cooking and food preparation. If your fancy hotel suite has a kitchenette, you can make popcorn in the microwave. The suffix -ette is used as a diminutive, to mean "a small version," and that's just what a kitchenette is — a kitchen, but smaller. Sometimes a kitchenette is distinguished by its pint-sized appliances, like miniature refrigerators and narrow stovetops. It might also be missing certain standard elements of a kitchen, like a sink or a dishwasher. If you're staying in a hotel or living in a college dorm, a kitchenette can be all the kitchen you need.

Example Sentences

It added: “Awe-inspiring features abound, including eight spacious en-suite bedrooms with beautifully appointed baths, a guest house complete with a kitchenette, and an intricately paneled study featuring a warm fireplace.”

From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026

She’s been in town rehearsing for a few weeks and jokes with some of the show’s jugglers in a kitchenette, where she makes herself a machine pod coffee.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026

Behind the scenes, Tesla engineers were working out of a kitchenette on campus.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 3, 2026

While a bit dated, the room had a kitchenette and a microwave, as well as a separate fridge from the minibar setup.

From Salon • Oct. 31, 2025

“Go in my box—it’s in the cabinet above the kitchenette sink—and hand me the...radio that’s in there.”

From "Clean Getaway" by Nic Stone

Related Words

• gallery