tablespoon
B1Neutral, with a tendency towards the everyday/culinary register.
Definition
Meaning
A large spoon used for serving food or as a unit of measurement.
A standardized unit of volume in cooking, equal to 15 milliliters or three teaspoons.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word refers primarily to a unit of measurement in culinary contexts; the physical utensil is more commonly just called a 'spoon'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The unit of measurement is identical. The physical utensil is universally understood. Abbreviations may differ ('tbsp' or 'T' more common in US recipes).
Connotations
No significant connotational differences.
Frequency
High frequency in both dialects within recipe and culinary contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[VERB] [QUANTIFIER] tablespoon(s) of [INGREDIENT][QUANTIFIER] tablespoon(s) [INGREDIENT]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in food production or supply (e.g., 'The recipe calls for two tablespoons of vanilla extract per batch').
Academic
Rare, except in nutritional science or chemistry (e.g., 'The solution was administered in 5-tablespoon doses').
Everyday
Primarily used in cooking and recipe instructions (e.g., 'Add a tablespoon of salt to the water').
Technical
Standardized unit in culinary arts, nutrition, and pharmacy.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She carefully tablespoons the batter onto the hot griddle.
American English
- Tablespoon the cookie dough onto the baking sheet.
adverb
British English
- [Not standard]
American English
- [Not standard]
adjective
British English
- Please use the tablespoon measure for the oil.
American English
- Grab the tablespoon scoop from the drawer.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The recipe needs one tablespoon of butter.
- Add two tablespoons of soy sauce and stir the mixture well.
- A heaping tablespoon of fresh herbs can transform a simple dish.
- Despite its potency, a mere tablespoon of the concentrate is sufficient for the entire batch.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a TABLE being set. The big spoon you put on the TABLE for serving is a TABLE-SPOON. It measures more than a teaspoon you'd use for TEA.
Conceptual Metaphor
MEASUREMENT IS CONTAINMENT (a tablespoon *holds* a standard amount).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'столовая ложка' when referring to the unit in English recipes; use 'tablespoon'. Confusion with 'ложка' (spoon) in general contexts.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'spoon' for the unit of measure (e.g., 'add a spoon of sugar'). Confusing 'tablespoon' (15ml) with 'teaspoon' (5ml).
Practice
Quiz
In a standard US measurement, how many teaspoons are in one tablespoon?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, as a unit of volume in cooking, 1 tablespoon = 15 ml in both standard measurement systems.
Common abbreviations are 'tbsp', 'Tbsp', or simply 'T' (capitalized to distinguish from teaspoon 't' or 'tsp').
No, for accuracy, use a standardized measuring spoon. Eating or serving spoons vary greatly in size.
A 'level' tablespoon is filled and then levelled off with a knife. A 'heaping' tablespoon is filled with a mound above the rim.