Ladle

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈleɪ.dəl/

Definitions

1. A long-handled spoon with a deep bowl used for serving liquids such as soup or punch from a large container
2. A kitchen device with a long grip and a broad cup designed for portioning and serving liquid dishes from larger containers
3. A utensil featuring a long handle and a deep bowl that is utilized for dishing out liquids like soup or sauce from a larger vessel

Etymology: The ladle is named for what it does: it lifts and carries liquid. Its Old English ancestor, "hlædel," came from the verb "hladan," meaning "to load" or "to draw up," which is the same root that gives English "lade," as in to lade a boat with cargo or to lade water out of it. The "-le" ending is an old suffix that marked a tool or agent, so a ladle is, quite literally, the thing forladling. Behind that verb lies a reconstructed Proto-Germanic root meaning "to load," and, further back, a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to put, lay out," which also appears in Lithuanian "kloti," "to spread." The word came into Middle English as "ladel," and it has kept its core job ever since. Its underlying verb, "lade," has faded from everyday speech, so most people who use a ladle today have no idea that they are holding a tool named after the act of loading a vessel.

Synonyms: scoop, spoon, server