ENGLISH
REFERENCE

tablespoon

n. countable
B1 Intermediate US //ˈteɪbəɫˌspun// UK //tˈeɪbəlspˌuːn// ta·ble·spoon

n. a large spoon used for serving food or for measuring ingredients when you cook. It is bigger than a teaspoon.

n. a large spoon used for serving food or as a unit of measurement in culinary contexts. In cooking, it typically represents a volume of 15 millilitres.


SIMPLE

Add one tablespoon of sugar to the mixture.

CONTEXTUAL

The recipe calls for a tablespoon of olive oil to be heated in the pan before adding the onions.

COMPLEX

While a standard tablespoon in the United States holds exactly half a fluid ounce, historical sets may vary slightly in volume depending on their country of origin.

Synonyms
Origin

From table + spoon.

Usage

Often abbreviated as 'tbsp' or 'T' in written recipes.

Pitfall

two tablespoon of salttwo tablespoons of saltWhen used as a unit of measurement, the word must be pluralized if the amount is greater than one.

© 2026 English Reference