teaspoon

American  

[tee-spoon] / ˈtiˌspun /

noun

• teaspoons
  plural

1. a small spoon generally used to stir tea, coffee, etc.

2. a teaspoonful.

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teaspoon British  

/ ˈtiːˌspuːn /

noun

1. a small spoon used for stirring tea, eating certain desserts, etc

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

3. a unit of capacity used in cooking, medicine, etc, equal to about one fluid dram

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• teaspoons
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of teaspoon

First recorded in 1680–90; tea + spoon

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Compare meaning

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

• teaspoon vs. tablespoon

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Explanation

In cooking, a teaspoon is a small unit of measurement, as well as the name of the utensil you use to measure it. If you like your tea slightly sweet, you might add just a teaspoon of sugar to it. You can also call a small spoon used for stirring coffee or tea a teaspoon. When you're making a recipe, it's good to know that a teaspoon is equal to one-third of a tablespoon, or five milliliters. The word teaspoon dates from the 1680s.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

teaspoon teaspoons

Toss with 1 teaspoon honey, a pinch of salt and half of the orange zest.

From Salon ● May 25, 2026

At home, I keep it rustic and dollop generous mounds of meringue onto lined baking trays, then use the back of a teaspoon to shape them.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 27, 2026

The researchers worked with a small amount of Bennu material, about the size of a teaspoon.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 12, 2026

For a sore throat, drinking plenty of fluids and having a teaspoon of honey may help, the NHS says.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2025

If there are no tortillas, they try to fill their children’s bellies with a glass of water with a teaspoon of sugar mixed in.

From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario

I keep a small ceramic salt dish by the stove, within easy reach — not tucked away in a cabinet, not measured out in careful teaspoons, but right there, open.

From Salon ● Apr. 21, 2026

The new pyramid says that one meal should contain no more than 10 grams of added sugars, or about 2 teaspoons.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 7, 2026

If they are over a year old, you can give them two teaspoons of honey up to six times, but do not delay going to the hospital to get honey.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 29, 2024

As a guide, adults should aim to apply about six to eight teaspoons of sunscreen if covering the entire body.

From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2024

I left the parlor to the accompaniment of the inviting clash of crockery and the light tinkle of teaspoons, and went upstairs.

From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly

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