colander
4 synonyms for colander, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A bowl-shaped kitchen container full of holes, used for draining water off food such as pasta, rice or washed vegetables.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use colander
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
drain in a colander
tip into a colander
metal colander
colander of vegetables
Neutral, everyday kitchen vocabulary.
Etymology
From Medieval Latin colatorium 'a strainer', from Latin colare 'to strain, to filter', which comes from colum 'a sieve'.
Full origin of colander →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a colander and a sieve?
A colander has large holes and a bowl shape and is built for draining liquid away from solid food such as pasta. A sieve has a fine mesh and is for separating small particles, straining stock or sifting flour, so it will hold back things a colander lets straight through.
How do you pronounce colander?
The usual pronunciation is KUL-uhn-duhr, with the first syllable sounding like 'cull'. A spelling pronunciation with 'col' as in 'collar' is also widely accepted.
Why is it spelled colander and not calendar?
They are unrelated words. Colander comes from Latin colare, meaning to strain, while calendar comes from Latin kalendae, the first day of the Roman month.
