Added 9 October 2026
kettle
/ˈkɛ.təl/ noun
In Latin: cortīna, cucuma Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about kettle at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
-
A vessel for boiling a liquid or cooking food, usually metal and equipped with a lid.
To cook pasta, you first need to put the kettle on.
- The quantity held by a kettle.
-
A vessel or appliance used to boil water for the preparation of hot beverages and other foodstuffs.
Stick the kettle on and we'll have a nice cup of tea.
verb
noun
- Alternative form of kiddle (“kind of fishweir”).
Origin
From Middle English ketel, also chetel, from Old English ċietel (“kettle, cauldron”) and in Middle English possibly influenced by Old Norse ketill and both from Proto-Germanic *katilaz (“kettle, bucket, vessel”), of uncertain origin and formation. Usually regarded as a borrowing of Late Latin catīllus (“small bowl”), diminutive of Latin catinus (“deep bowl, vessel for cooking up or serving food”), however, the word may be Germanic confused with the Latin: compare Old English cete (“cooking pot”), Old High German chezzi (“a kettle, dish, bowl”), Icelandic kati, ketla (“a small boat”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)