spoon

5 synonyms for spoon, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A utensil with a small shallow bowl on a handle, used for eating, stirring, or serving.

Synonyms

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

scoop

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

ladle dipper spoonful smooch

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

A utensil with a small shallow bowl on a handle, used for eating, stirring, or serving.

“The toddler held a plastic spoon in her fist and tried to feed herself.”

scoop ladle dipper spoonful

2. verb

To lie close together, front-to-back, in a nested position like stacked spoons.

“The two puppies spooned together in their basket to keep warm.”

smooch

How to use spoon

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

spoon someone wooden spoon big spoon / little spoon

Etymology

From Old English spōn, originally meaning "a chip or shaving of wood" — early spoons were carved from wood.

Full origin of spoon →

Frequently asked questions

What does “spoon” mean?

The word “spoon” means a utensil with a small shallow bowl on a handle, used for eating, stirring, or serving. In plain terms, the eating utensil, or the act of cuddling nested together.

How do you pronounce “spoon”?

“Spoon” is pronounced spoon (/spuːn/ in IPA).

How do you use “spoon” in a sentence?

Here is “spoon” used in a sentence: “He stirred his coffee with a teaspoon.”

What part of speech is “spoon”?

Depending on how it is used, “spoon” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “spoon” come from?

The word “spoon” comes from Old English. From Old English spōn, originally meaning "a chip or shaving of wood" — early spoons were carved from wood.

Is “spoon” a common word?

“Spoon” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

How many meanings does “spoon” have?

“Spoon” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a utensil with a small shallow bowl on a handle, used for eating, stirring, or serving.

What is the difference between a spoon and a tablespoon?

A spoon is the general utensil with a shallow bowl on a handle. A tablespoon is a specific larger spoon used for serving or eating, and it also names a standard cooking measure, usually about 15 millilitres.

What is the difference between a spoon and a spork?

A spoon has a shallow rounded bowl for scooping and stirring. A spork combines a spoon and a fork, adding short prongs to the bowl so it can both scoop and spear food.

People also searched

scoop ladle smooch dipper spoonful

Nearby words

← Back to the full definition of spoon