tablespoon

American  

[tey-buhl-spoon] / ˈteɪ bəlˌspun /

noun

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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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

Add fresh herbs if you like — mint is nice — or a tablespoon of cream.

From Salon • Apr. 10, 2025

Like all MOFs, the material features a porous, crystalline array of metal ions and organic linkers, with an internal area equivalent to about six football fields per tablespoon -- a huge area for adsorbing gases.

From Science Daily • Nov. 14, 2024

Brush the inside of each hot dog bun with 1/2 tablespoon of the mayonnaise.

From Salon • Sep. 1, 2024

An extra half a tablespoon of the fancy fat a day could knock a whopping 28 percent off your risk of dementia mortality!

From Slate • May 28, 2024

Amy stuck a tablespoon into an economy-size vat of mayonnaise.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris