Meaning & use
kettle
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A container with a spout and handle, used for boiling water.
Grammar: Countable; plural is kettles.
Patterns
- put the kettle on
- boil the kettle
- a kettle of water
She filled the kettle and put it on the stove.
I'll boil the kettle for tea.
nouncountable
A metal pot with a lid and handle, used for cooking food.
Grammar: Countable; often used in compounds like fish kettle.
Patterns
- fish kettle
- cooking kettle
He cooked the stew in a large kettle over the fire.
A fish kettle is used to poach whole fish.
Word forms
| plural | kettles |
|---|
Common combinations
- put the kettle on
- Put the kettle on, we'll have tea.
- boil the kettle
- Boil the kettle and pour the water into the teapot.
- electric kettle
- An electric kettle boils water quickly.
- kettle of fish
- That's a different kettle of fish altogether.
Synonyms and how they differ
- pot
- A pot is a general cooking container; a kettle is specifically for boiling water or a cooking vessel with a lid.
Commonly confused: kettle or kettle?
kettle vs kettle
Not to be confused with 'kettle' as in a group of birds, which is a different, rare sense.
Practice
What do you usually do with a kettle?
Choose one answer.
A kettle is used for boiling water. The other actions are done with other kitchen tools.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “kettle”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.