utensil

Meaning

1. 1nouncountable

   A tool or container used for a practical purpose, especially for preparing or eating food.

   Grammar: Countable: an utensil, two utensils. Often used in the plural for a set.

   Patterns

   • a kitchen utensil
   • cooking utensils
   • eating utensils

   Please wash the cooking utensils after dinner.

   She bought a new set of kitchen utensils.

   The drawer is full of various utensils.

Word forms

Common combinations

kitchen utensil

A spatula is a common kitchen utensil.

cooking utensils

He keeps his cooking utensils in a jar near the stove.

eating utensils

In some cultures, eating utensils are not used for every meal.

set of utensils

We received a set of utensils as a wedding gift.

utensil drawer

The utensil drawer is next to the sink.

Synonyms and how they differ

tool

Tool is a more general word for any instrument used to do a job, not just in the kitchen.

implement

Implement is formal and often used for tools in farming or gardening, not for eating.

instrument

Instrument often suggests a precise tool for science, music, or surgery, not everyday cooking.

Commonly confused: utensil or utility?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “utensil”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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