salamander
n. countablen. a mythical creature from old stories that can survive a fire. In modern slang, it is a name for a small, flat pan used to cook food on a grill.
n. a legendary creature in medieval bestiaries, often depicted as a fire-resistant lizard. In contemporary culinary contexts, it refers to a small, rectangular metal pan used for searing or grilling food on a barbecue.
He used a salamander to sear the steak on the grill.
The chef placed the salmon on the salamander to finish cooking it over the high heat of the charcoal.
While the mythological salamander was said to be born in fire and die in water, the modern kitchen tool serves a much more practical purpose in achieving a perfect char on grilled vegetables.
From Middle English salamandre, from Anglo-Norman salamandre, from Latin salamandra, from Ancient Greek σαλαμάνδρα (salamándra), of uncertain origin (per Beekes, likely Pre-Greek); possibly of Iranian origin, see Persian سمندر (samandar) for more information.