saucepan
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of saucepan
Compare meaning
How does saucepan compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"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
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and continue cooking, stirring often, until it foams and begins to brown — about 5–7 minutes.
From Salon • Apr. 16, 2025
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
From Salon • Apr. 7, 2025
In a small saucepan, combine the orange marmalade and lemon juice over medium heat.
From Salon • Apr. 3, 2025
On the shelf itself there stood a Primus stove, a saucepan and a half-full bottle of milk.
From "Matilda" by Roald Dahl
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.
