spatula

UK/ˈspætjʊlə/US/ˈspætjʊlə/

nounB1+Common in everyday speech and writing · #7,999 of 15,258leans spoken

Other forms: spatulas

A spatula is a flat blade on a handle for lifting and turning food. A fish spatula, use a spatula, a rubber spatula.

British and American usage differ sharply: in Britain a spatula is usually the flexible rubber blade for scraping a bowl, and in America it is the flat metal turner for a frying pan, which Britain calls a fish slice. Both are right in their own place and the confusion is constant. Note that spatula is the diminutive of a Latin word for a broad blade, the same one behind spatula's cousin, the spade.

Definitions of spatula

1nounspatulaA flat blade on a handle for lifting and turning food.B1+
“Use a spatula to flip the pancake when bubbles appear on top.”
- Said"Hand me the spatula; the pancake is ready to turn."
- WrittenThe spatulas had burnt edges from years of resting on the pan.
- UsedSlide the spatula under the fish gently, or the skin stays behind.
- ContrastA spatula, not a spoon. A spoon scoops and holds; a spatula is flat and slides under to lift. spoon →
- Not thisA knife is not a spatula. You would never turn an egg with a knife.
- Exchange"Where's the spatula?""In the sink. Rinse it."
- SimplyUse the spatula. Turn the meat.
Patterna wooden / rubber / metal spatula · lift / turn sth with a spatula · scrape with a spatula

spatula is a kitchen tool.

Remember it

The Latin means a little flat blade: slide it under the egg in the pan and turn it over.

hooks ontoblade

Where it comes from

Latin spatula is a diminutive of spatha, a broad blade, from Greek spathe. Spade, spathe and the sword-word spatha come from the same broad blade.

Proto-Indo-European
*(s)peh₂-
Ancient Greek
σπάθη — a broad wood or metal blade
Latin
spatula — a flat piece
English, today
spatula

Built from

spatha · Latin — broad or flat tool

Borrowed from Latin spatula (“a flat piece”), the diminutive form of spatha (“broad or flat tool”), from Ancient Greek σπάθη (“a broad wood or metal blade”). a doublet of spauld; compare spatha and spathe.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Definitions of spatula

1nounspatulaA flat blade on a handle for lifting and turning food.B1+

“Use a spatula to flip the pancake when bubbles appear on top.”

Said"Hand me the spatula; the pancake is ready to turn."
WrittenThe spatulas had burnt edges from years of resting on the pan.
UsedSlide the spatula under the fish gently, or the skin stays behind.
ContrastA spatula, not a spoon. A spoon scoops and holds; a spatula is flat and slides under to lift. spoon →
Not thisA knife is not a spatula. You would never turn an egg with a knife.
Exchange"Where's the spatula?""In the sink. Rinse it."
SimplyUse the spatula. Turn the meat.

Patterna wooden / rubber / metal spatula · lift / turn sth with a spatula · scrape with a spatula

spatula is a kitchen tool.