# Spence

/ˈspɛns/ (US) · /spˈɛns/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/spence
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a pantry or larder

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · British English · Dialect

a small room or cupboard used for storing food and drink.

For teachers: A storage area for provisions, such as a buttery or pantry, typically found in older British houses.

- The old farmhouse had a cool spence where they kept the milk and cheese.
- The housekeeper directed the servants to fetch the remaining preserves from the spence before the evening meal began.

Teaching tip: This term is extremely rare in modern English; learners will likely only encounter it in 19th-century literature or regional British history.

## 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.