Tablespoon

Pronunciation

Alternative forms

• table spoon, table-spoon

Origin

From table + spoon.

Full definition of tablespoon

Noun

1. (Canada, US) A large spoon, used for eating food from a bowl.
• 1840, John James Audubon, , Volume 1, %22tablespoons%22+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&source=bl&ots=NYjf-kg1kB&sig=sAvF98bnfDySDnUjmf-T2BqYgWA&hl=en&sa=X&ei=YYN2UMGWIOaWiQeb7oC4DA&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22tablespoon%22|%22tablespoons%22%20-intitle%3A%22%22%20-inauthor%3A%22%22&f=false page 178,Their eggs were deposited on a few bits of straw, and great caution was necessary in attempting to procure them, as the slightest touch crumbled their frail tenement into dust. By means of a tablespoon, I was enabled to procure many of them.
2. (Australia, New Zealand, Northern UK) A spoon too large for eating, usually used for cooking or serving.
3. (cooking) A unit of volume, the value of which varies regionally; in the US: three teaspoons or roughly 15 ml; in Britain and Canada: exactly 15 ml; in Australia: four teaspoons or 20 ml.
• 1995 May 22, Salad Recipes, New York (magazine), %22tablespoons%22+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&source=bl&ots=3GLGJhRG5D&sig=EZ07Qjrp_0niYy3UjLbk97DXHFs&hl=en&sa=X&ei=yFx2UMTJEomDiQeKtoE4&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22tablespoon%22|%22tablespoons%22%20-intitle%3A%22%22%20-inauthor%3A%22%22&f=false page 51,Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a nonstick skillet until hot and quickly saute the goat-cheese buttons on both sides until brown.
• 2003, Better Homes and Gardens (magazine), Biggest Book of Bread Machine Recipes, %22tablespoons%22+australia+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&source=bl&ots=S0uwXDH9uz&sig=idDLrNyuj1yvl06zjxHXPQv9t0Q&hl=en&sa=X&ei=4G92UNGDLsTKmgXcwoHYBA&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22tablespoon%22|%22tablespoons%22%20australia%20-intitle%3A%22%22%20-inauthor%3A%22%22&f=false page 416,In Australia, 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml, and there are 4 teaspoons in the Australian tablespoon.
• 2006, Tempted: 150 Very Wicked Desserts, Murdoch Books, UK, %22tablespoons%22+australia+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&source=bl&ots=DdudCFPN8x&sig=kKcNGErIZO0t67BO7QXn2-jg50I&hl=en&sa=X&ei=4G92UNGDLsTKmgXcwoHYBA&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22tablespoon%22|%22tablespoons%22%20australia%20-intitle%3A%22%22%20-inauthor%3A%22%22&f=false copyright page,If you are using a 15 ml (3 teaspoon) tablespoon, for most recipes the difference will not be noticeable.
• 2012, James Armstrong, Kellee Hollyman, General, Organic, and Biochemistry: An Applied Approach, Cengage Learning, US, %22tablespoons%22+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&source=bl&ots=a7ukJAjRJM&sig=mWGlohE4I5jmmaBPYdWdmGkexk0&hl=en&sa=X&ei=yFx2UMTJEomDiQeKtoE4&redir_esc=y page 27,The problem gives us a number of tablespoons of cooking oil and asks us to convert this amount into milliliters. We are also told that one tablespoon equals 3 teaspoons, but this is a relationship between two units, not an actual measurement.

Synonyms

• (large spoon used for eating) dessertspoon, dessert spoon Australia, New Zealand, Northern UK
• (large spoon used for cooking or serving)
• (unit of volume) tablespoonful, tbsp, tbs

Related terms

• tablespoonful