tablespoon

/ˌteɪbəlˈspun/

/ˈteɪbəlspun/

Other forms: tablespoons

A tablespoon is a unit of measurement in cooking, and it's also the name of the utensil you use to measure this amount. If you love spicy foods, you might pour a couple of tablespoons of Tabasco sauce on your scrambled eggs.

You can also call a serving spoon a tablespoon, and this is the word's original meaning, from "spoon for table service," first used around 1760. In some places, a large spoon used for eating is more likely to be called a tablespoon, while other people use the word specifically to mean a measuring spoon that holds an amount equal to three teaspoons, or 1/2 a fluid ounce.

Definitions of tablespoon

1. noun

   a spoon larger than a dessert spoon; used for serving
   type of:

   spoon

   a piece of cutlery with a shallow bowl-shaped container and a handle; used to stir or serve or take up food
2. noun

   as much as a tablespoon will hold
   synonyms: tablespoonful

   type of:

   containerful

   the quantity that a container will hold