cupboard
Cupboard (noun) means a cabinet or small closet with doors and shelves, used to store dishes, food, or other household items. Example: “The plates and bowls are kept in the cupboard above the sink.”
How to use cupboard
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA small cabinet, usually built into a kitchen wall, for storing dishes or food.
British English uses "cupboard" broadly for kitchen and household storage cabinets; American English more often says "cabinet" for the same thing, reserving "cupboard" mainly for kitchen use.
Word forms
cupboarded past tense, cupboards plural, cupboards singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The plates and bowls are kept in the _____ above the sink.
Etymology
Originally meant a board or table for displaying valuable dishware — literally a "cup board." Over time the pronunciation shifted and the word came to mean an enclosed storage cabinet instead of an open display shelf.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for cupboard
Frequently asked questions
What does “cupboard” mean?
The word “cupboard” means a cabinet or small closet with doors and shelves, used to store dishes, food, or other household items. In plain terms, a small cabinet, usually built into a kitchen wall, for storing dishes or food.
How do you pronounce “cupboard”?
“Cupboard” is pronounced KUHB-uhd (/ˈkʌb.ɚd/ in IPA).
How do you use “cupboard” in a sentence?
Here is “cupboard” used in a sentence: “The plates and bowls are kept in the cupboard above the sink.”
What is another word for “cupboard”?
Words with a similar meaning to “cupboard” include pantry and larder.
What part of speech is “cupboard”?
“Cupboard” is a noun.
Is “cupboard” a common word?
“Cupboard” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.