Kitchener

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A historical figure known for his role as a British army officer and statesman during World War I
2. a city located in Ontario, Canada, known for its diverse community and innovation
3. a type of appliance commonly used for cooking, often featuring multiple functions for food preparation

Etymology: The word "kitchener" is an ordinary English job title before it is a surname. It comes from Middle English "kichenere" or "kychynnere", formed from "kitchen" with the agent suffix "-er", so it named the person who ran a kitchen, a cook or kitchen servant. Its sense has narrowed over the centuries, and today it survives mainly as a family name. The famous bearer is Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener, a British army officer and statesman who became Secretary of State for War during World War I. His name became a household word through the recruitment poster "Your Country Needs You", which featured him pointing from the page, and the surname is now most associated with him rather than with the kitchen trade it began as.