cooker
B1Neutral, primarily in everyday domestic contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A large, fixed appliance or device for cooking food, such as a stove or range.
Can also refer to a container or apparatus for cooking or processing something by heat, or informally (mainly UK, dated) to a person who is cooking or a fruit good for cooking.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
"Cooker" in British English typically means the entire kitchen appliance (oven + hob). In American English, this is more likely called a "stove" or "range". The word can lead to confusion due to the -er suffix, which can denote a person (e.g., teacher, baker) or a machine (e.g., printer, computer).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In UK English, "cooker" is the standard term for the combined oven and hob appliance. In US English, the term is rarely used for the appliance; "stove" or "range" is used instead. In US English, "cooker" is sometimes used for specific cooking devices like a "pressure cooker" or "slow cooker".
Connotations
In UK English, it's a neutral, everyday term. In US English, it can sound slightly British or old-fashioned when used to mean a stove. In both varieties, it's a functional term for an appliance.
Frequency
High frequency in UK English. Low frequency in US English for the appliance meaning, but medium for compound terms like "pressure cooker".
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
turn on/off the [cooker]preheat the [cooker]cook something on the [cooker]replace the [cooker]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A pressure cooker situation (a tense or stressful environment).”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in retail (appliance sales) and manufacturing contexts.
Academic
Very rare, except perhaps in historical or design studies of domestic technology.
Everyday
Very common, especially in UK households.
Technical
Used in appliance manuals, engineering, and home economics.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- No verb form.
American English
- No verb form.
adverb
British English
- No adverb form.
American English
- No adverb form.
adjective
British English
- No direct adjective form.
American English
- No direct adjective form.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I can cook eggs on the cooker.
- The cooker is in the kitchen.
- We need to replace our old gas cooker with an electric one.
- Don't forget to turn off the cooker after you finish.
- The installation of the new induction cooker required a specialised electrician.
- She prepared the entire feast using just a single slow cooker.
- Architects are now integrating smart cookers that can be controlled via a smartphone app.
- The pressure cooker of exam season finally subsided after the last paper was submitted.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: A 'Cook-er' is the thing that DOES the cooking (like a printer prints). It's not the person (the cook), but the machine.
Conceptual Metaphor
A kitchen's heart; a source of nourishment and warmth.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with "повар" (cook - the person). "Cooker" is the appliance "плита" or "духовка".
- "Pressure cooker" is "скороварка".
- The English word "cook" is the person and the verb, but "cooker" is only the machine.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: *My mother is a good cooker. (Correct: My mother is a good cook.)
- Incorrect (US context): *I need to buy a new cooker. (Would be understood, but 'stove' is more natural.)
Practice
Quiz
What is the most common American English equivalent for the British 'cooker'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In modern standard English, 'cooker' is almost always a thing (an appliance). The person is a 'cook'.
Yes, but primarily in compound terms like 'pressure cooker' or 'slow cooker'. For the main kitchen appliance, 'stove' or 'range' is more common and natural.
In British English, a 'cooker' usually includes both an oven (for baking) and a hob (for pots and pans). An 'oven' is just the enclosed, heated compartment for baking and roasting.
Because the '-er' suffix in English often indicates a person who performs an action (e.g., teacher, driver). However, for some nouns, it indicates a tool or machine (e.g., computer, toaster). 'Cooker' falls into the machine category, which is an exception to the common pattern.