Saucepan

/ˈsɔːspən/

Meaning & Definition

noun
A deep cooking pan, typically with a long handle and a lid, used for preparing sauces and various other dishes on the stovetop.
She added the chopped vegetables to the saucepan to sauté them.
A cooking vessel made of metal, ceramic, or other materials, used for heating or boiling liquids.
He filled the saucepan with water to boil the pasta.
A container often used in cooking that has a flat bottom, high sides, and a lid.
Make sure to stir the sauce in the saucepan frequently to prevent it from sticking.
A common kitchen utensil employed in various cooking methods.
She reached for the stainless steel saucepan to prepare her famous tomato sauce.

Etymology

Middle English, from 'sauce' (referring to liquid foods) + 'pan' (a shallow container).

Common Phrases and Expressions

saucepan lid
A lid designed to fit a saucepan, used to cover it while cooking.
dinner in a saucepan
Refers to a simple meal that can be prepared in one cooking vessel.
saucepan to table
Indicates serving food directly from the cooking vessel.

Related Words

cookware
Utensils and containers used for cooking.
utensil
A tool used for preparing food.
frying pan
A pan used for frying food, similar to a saucepan but typically shallow.

Slang Meanings

Used humorously to indicate someone's ignorance in cooking.
He couldn't boil pasta without burning his saucepan, talk about a saucepan fail!
Referring to a messy or poorly managed kitchen.
After their dinner party, their kitchen looked like it had been hit by a saucepan tornado!