saucepan

American  

[saws-pan] / ˈsɔsˌpæn /

noun

1. a metal container of moderate depth, usually having a long handle and sometimes a cover, for stewing, boiling, etc.

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saucepan British  

/ ˈsɔːspən /

noun

1. a metal or enamel pan with a long handle and often a lid, used for cooking food

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Etymology

Origin of saucepan

First recorded in 1680–90; sauce + pan ¹

Compare meaning

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

• saucepan vs. frying pan

Explanation

A saucepan is a deep stovetop pan with a long handle and, usually, a lid. You might use a saucepan to cook sauce, or for the macaroni from your box of macaroni and cheese. Saucepans are made out of various materials, from stainless steel and aluminum to copper and enamel-coated metal. If you have a kitchen, it's pretty likely you have a saucepan. They are deep enough to boil water in, and made to be used on top of a flame or electric coil. As you might guess from the name, the first saucepans, invented in the 17th century, were intended only for making sauces.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

saucepan

Cook the remaining corn: Heat the butter or oil in the same saucepan.

From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026

I’ll do this over medium-low heat in a small saucepan.

From Salon ● Jun. 13, 2026

"It could be a person, it could be an animal, a flower, a film, a photograph in the newspaper, just anything. A saucepan in the kitchen, boiling, you know, the steam coming…"

From BBC ● Feb. 24, 2026

I melted a knob of butter in a small saucepan, then a spoonful of the dried leaves.

From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2025

A few minutes later the saucepan was heating almost the last of their clean water, and he went to search among the heap of fence posts for something to mend the paddle with.

From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman

Related Words

• basin
• bowl
• bucket
• can
• cup
• jar
• jug
• kettle
• mug
• pan
• urn
• vessel