Tablespoon Definition & Meaning

American

British

Etymology

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Examples

tablespoon American [tey-buhl-spoon] / ˈteɪ bəlˌspun /

noun

1. a spoon larger than a teaspoon or a dessert spoon, used in serving food at the table and as a standard measuring unit in recipes.

2. a tablespoonful.

tablespoon British / ˈteɪbəlˌspuːn /

noun

1. a spoon, larger than a dessertspoon, used for serving food, etc

2. Also called: tablespoonful. the amount contained in such a spoon

3. a unit of capacity used in cooking, medicine, etc, equal to half a fluid ounce or three teaspoons

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of tablespoon

First recorded in 1755–65; table + spoon

Compare meaning

How does tablespoon compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• teaspoon vs. tablespoon

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

You can even add a tablespoon or two of chia seeds to your favorite latte recipes and let them sit for 30 minutes before adding ice.

From Salon

As long as oranges are in season, take advantage of their perky perfume by stirring a few tablespoons of zest into the mix.

From The Wall Street Journal

It’s no wonder the experience can feel oddly flat or stop-start, punctuated by small panics over whether it was two teaspoons or two tablespoons of red pepper flakes.

From Salon

Lieu recommends using one tablespoon of soy sauce per cup of flour.

From Salon

Every year there is the faintly absurd recipe of a dollop of briefing, several tablespoons of speculation and a sprinkling of leaks.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.