tablespoon

American  

[tay-buhl-spoon] / ˈteɪ bəlˌspun /

noun

• tablespoons
  plural

1. a spoon larger than a teaspoon or a dessert spoon, used in serving food at the table and as a standard measuring unit in recipes.

2. a tablespoonful.

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tablespoon British  

/ ˈteɪbəlˌspuːn /

noun

1. a spoon, larger than a dessertspoon, used for serving food, etc

2. Also called: tablespoonful. the amount contained in such a spoon

3. a unit of capacity used in cooking, medicine, etc, equal to half a fluid ounce or three teaspoons

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• tablespoons
  plural

Etymology

Origin of tablespoon

First recorded in 1755–65; table + spoon

Compare meaning

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

• teaspoon vs. tablespoon

Explanation

A tablespoon is a unit of measurement in cooking, and it's also the name of the utensil you use to measure this amount. If you love spicy foods, you might pour a couple of tablespoons of Tabasco sauce on your scrambled eggs. You can also call a serving spoon a tablespoon, and this is the word's original meaning, from "spoon for table service," first used around 1760. In some places, a large spoon used for eating is more likely to be called a tablespoon, while other people use the word specifically to mean a measuring spoon that holds an amount equal to three teaspoons, or 1/2 a fluid ounce.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tablespoon tablespoons

Melt the remaining tablespoon butter and brush over the tops.

From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026

Heat the oven: Heat to 375°F. Use 1 tablespoon butter to grease a baking dish or oven-safe skillet.

From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026

Add one tablespoon of herbs to about 8 to 12 ounces of hot water.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

Add a tablespoon of soy sauce and a tablespoon of chicken stock or water, cover the pan and cook.

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026

She passed me a doll-sized cup with a tablespoon of mud-colored liquid in it, and I looked longingly at the foamy mugs Katrina and Sophie carried to our table.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover

My mother was making chocolate chip cookies, handing us tablespoons of dough to taste, and somehow we had all ended up in the kitchen again.

From Salon ● Aug. 31, 2026

Simple ways to get that in include eating a little over a cup of raspberries, 2 tablespoons of chia seeds, or two-thirds cup of black beans.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 25, 2026

As long as oranges are in season, take advantage of their perky perfume by stirring a few tablespoons of zest into the mix.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 8, 2026

Every year there is the faintly absurd recipe of a dollop of briefing, several tablespoons of speculation and a sprinkling of leaks.

From BBC ● Nov. 25, 2025

Put two tablespoons of oats in the water, not three!”

From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer