Word
spence
Phoneticsspence
US/ˈspɛns/
UK/spˈɛns/
Definition
n. a small room or cupboard used for storing food and drink.
n. A storage area for provisions, such as a buttery or pantry, typically found in older British houses.
Examples
“She kept the fresh bread in the spence.”
“The old farmhouse featured a cool, dark spence where the family stored their winter vegetables.”
“While the modern kitchen was renovated with stainless steel, the original spence remained intact, serving as a historical reminder of how the household once managed its food supplies.”
Examples
simple
“She kept the fresh bread in the spence.”
contextual
“The old farmhouse featured a cool, dark spence where the family stored their winter vegetables.”
complex
“While the modern kitchen was renovated with stainless steel, the original spence remained intact, serving as a historical reminder of how the household once managed its food supplies.”
Teaching tip
This term is extremely rare in modern English; learners will likely only encounter it in 19th-century literature or regional British history.
Synonyms
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/spence