Diningware

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Utensils, vessels, and tools designated for serving, holding, or consuming food are collectively referred to as objects for meal preparation
2. A variety of dishes, containers, and implements that aid in the service and consumption of food are essential for dining occasions
3. Objects such as plates, bowls, and utensils designed to assist in the presentation and consumption of meals

Etymology: "Diningware" is a plain compound: "dining," the present participle of "dine," combined with "-ware," the old English word for manufactured goods or articles of a particular kind. The "-ware" element is the same one found in "tableware," "glassware," and "silverware," where it gathers together items made from a given material or serving a given purpose. The word is therefore a modern, practical grouping term rather than an old one. It names the whole set of plates, bowls, cups, serving dishes and utensils used at a meal, treated as a single category, much as "tableware" does. Its meaning comes straight from its parts: whatever things are needed for dining, taken together.

Synonyms: tableware, dishware, cookware