Meaning & use
countertop
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A flat surface on top of kitchen or bathroom cabinets, used for preparing food or keeping things.
Grammar: Countable, so you can say a countertop or the countertops.
Patterns
- on the countertop
- kitchen countertop
- marble countertop
She left the groceries on the kitchen countertop.
The bathroom countertop was cluttered with bottles and soap.
They replaced the old wooden countertop with a shiny granite one.
Word forms
| plural | countertops |
|---|
Common combinations
- kitchen countertop
- He wiped the kitchen countertop after making dinner.
- granite countertop
- Granite countertops are popular because they are durable and easy to clean.
- on the countertop
- The keys are on the countertop by the door.
- countertop appliance
- A blender is a common countertop appliance.
Synonyms and how they differ
- worktop
- The usual British word for the same thing; use worktop in British English and countertop in American English.
- counter
- Shorter and more general; a counter can be in a shop or bank, while a countertop is specifically the surface in a kitchen or bathroom.
Word family
- counter noun
- A flat surface in a shop or bank where you are served.
Commonly confused: countertop or counterpart?
countertop vs counterpart
Counterpart means a person or thing that has the same role as another; it is not a surface.
Practice
In American English, the flat surface in a kitchen where you chop vegetables is called a ______.
Choose one answer.
Countertop is the standard American term. Worktop is British, and counterpart and counterfoil have completely different meanings.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “countertop”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.