Spoonlike

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Having the shape or form similar to a small shallow utensil used for eating or serving food; resembling a curved, concave structure that can hold liquid or small items; characterized by a rounded and slightly hollowed contour like that of a typical dining spoon
2. Exhibiting a likeness to a common eating implement with a concave bowl and handle; shaped in a manner that is curved inward and rounded to cradle substances; possessing a form suggestive of a shallow scoop or ladle used in dining
3. Bearing a contour reminiscent of a slender implement designed for scooping or stirring food; featuring a bent and hollowed design typical of a utensil used to transfer small quantities; shaped with a gentle curvature creating a small cavity similar to that of a kitchen spoon

Etymology: "Spoonlike" is a plain compound: "spoon" with the suffix "-like," which attaches to nouns to mean "resembling" or "having the form of." The suffix is Old English in origin, from "lic" meaning "body" or "form," and it survives in many English words such as "childlike" and "godlike." Because it is productive, English speakers can coin a new "-like" adjective from almost any noun, and "spoonlike" follows that pattern directly. "Spoon" itself is Old English "spōn," originally meaning a chip or splinter of wood, not a utensil. The sense of a scooping implement developed later, so the older sense survives in the idea of a wooden shaving, while the adjective simply borrows the modern utensil shape. The compound therefore describes something that resembles that familiar scoop-and-hollow form.

Synonyms: spoon-shaped, spoonform, concave, bowl-shaped, curved

Antonyms: flat, straight, pointed, sharp, angular