Meaning & use
pestle
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A heavy, rounded tool used for crushing or grinding things in a bowl called a mortar.
Grammar: Countable: a pestle, two pestles. Often used in the phrase 'mortar and pestle'.
Patterns
- a pestle and mortar
- use a pestle
- grind something with a pestle
She crushed the garlic with a pestle and mortar.
The pharmacist used a pestle to grind the pills into powder.
You'll need a pestle to make fresh pesto.
Word forms
| plural | pestles |
|---|
Common combinations
- mortar and pestle
- The recipe says to grind the spices in a mortar and pestle.
- wooden pestle
- A wooden pestle is gentler on the mortar.
- use a pestle
- Use a pestle to mash the avocado.
- pestle and mortar
- She bought a pestle and mortar for her kitchen.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- pestle verb
- To crush or grind with a pestle.
Commonly confused: pestle or pistol? pestle or pest?
pestle vs pistol
Pestle is a grinding tool; pistol is a small gun. They sound similar but have unrelated meanings.
pestle vs pest
Pest is a harmful insect or annoying person; pestle is the tool.
Practice
What do you use a pestle for?
Choose one answer.
A pestle is used with a mortar to crush or grind substances like spices. The other options describe tasks done with knives, measuring cups, or ladles.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pestle”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.