utensil

American  

[yoo-ten-suhl] / juˈtɛn səl /

noun

• utensils
  plural

1. any of the instruments or vessels commonly used in a kitchen, dairy, etc..

   eating utensils; baking utensils.

2. any instrument, vessel, or tool serving a useful purpose.

   smoking utensils; fishing utensils; farming utensils.

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utensil British  

/ juːˈtɛnsəl /

noun

1. an implement, tool, or container for practical use

   writing utensils

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Usage

What are other ways to say utensil? A utensil refers to any instrument or vessel serving a useful purpose, especially those commonly used in a kitchen. When should you use this noun over tool, instrument, or implement? Learn more on Thesaurus.com.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• utensils
  plural

Etymology

Origin of utensil

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English (collective singular): “household articles,” from Middle French utensile, from Latin ūtēnsilia, neuter plural of ūtēnsilis “useful,” derivative of ūtī “to use”; see origin at use

Explanation

A utensil is a tool you can hold in your hand and use around the house. In the kitchen, common utensils are the knives, forks, and spoons that we hold in our hands and use to eat. The word utensil comes from the Latin utensilia meaning "things for use." A pen is a writing utensil. A spatula is a cooking utensil. A scrub brush is a cleaning utensil. A knife is a cutting utensil. All of these objects can be held in your hand and are used to get something done.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

utensil utensils

Watching them is like being spoonfed by the streamer’s CEO, Ted Sarandos, who, by pioneering this content model, is waving a utensil in front of us like an airplane coming in for a landing.

From Salon ● Jan. 25, 2026

In fall 2024, many of us were ridding our kitchens of a very common utensil, thanks to a piece in the Atlantic that instructed us to, “Throw Out Your Black Plastic Spatula.”

From Slate ● Jan. 14, 2026

The safest nontoxic material options for kitchen utensil are wood and stainless steel.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 18, 2024

Some care recipients may have very limited mouth openings, measuring less than 2 centimeters, while others experience involuntary muscle spasms that can occur unexpectedly, even when the utensil is inside their mouth, Bhattacharjee said.

From Science Daily ● May 9, 2024

I picked silverware from the utensil drawer and dumped it on the tablecloth.

From "The Rock and the River" by Kekla Magoon

All of items, sold individually, were snatched up by Wednesday within 24 hours of sales starting: water bottle caps, ring pop candy, police caution tape, straws, utensils -- as well as a single left AirPod.

From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026

The agents—measuring about 6-foot-3, dressed in identical dark suits—were observed grabbing Xi’s utensils and plate and spraying them with an unidentified liquid.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 27, 2026

The virus can spread through close contact with someone who is infected, such as by sharing food or eating utensils.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 10, 2026

The Soviets handed her over to the Gestapo at the beginning of World War II, and she describes coming to the Nazi camp system and being issued clothes and utensils to eat with.

From Slate ● Feb. 17, 2026

I’ve never tasted dog food but I’m sure this was worse—brownish squares of congealed meat fat from rusted tins, which, lacking utensils, we dug out with our fingers.

From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs

Related Words

• appliance
• equipment
• fork
• gadget
• instrument
• knife
• silverware
• tableware
• ware