Pantry

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈpæntɹi/

Definitions

1. A designated area or small room within a home used to store food items, cooking supplies, and sometimes dishware
2. A storage space commonly found in homes where perishable goods and kitchen essentials are kept for easy access
3. A small space in a household dedicated to storing food products, kitchen supplies, and occasionally utensils for convenience

Etymology: The surprise with "pantry" is that it began as a word for bread, not for shelves. Its ancestor is Old French "paneterie," built on Latin "panis," meaning bread, and in medieval households a paneterie was the room where bread and baked goods were kept. The "-ry" ending marks a place where something is stored or handled, the same pattern seen in "bakery" and "pottery." The word passed into Middle English as "panetrie," and over the centuries its scope widened from bread alone to the whole store of household provisions. The spelling settled into "pantry" as the sense of food storage broadened, so that the room now holds groceries, dry goods and kitchen supplies rather than loaves.

Synonyms: larder, storage, cupboard, closet, supply room