Tablespoon

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A tablespoon (tbsp., Tbsp., Tb., or T.) is a large spoon. In many English-speaking regions, the term now refers to a large spoon used for serving;[1] however, in some regions, it is the largest type of spoon used for eating.

By extension, the term is also used as a cooking measure of volume. In this capacity, it is most commonly abbreviated tbsp. or Tbsp. and occasionally referred to as a tablespoonful to distinguish it from the utensil. The unit of measurement varies by region: a United States liquid tablespoon is approximately 14.8 ml (0.50 US fl oz), a European, United Kingdom and Canadian tablespoon is exactly 15 ml (0.51 US fl oz),[2] and an Australian tablespoon is 20 ml (0.68 US fl oz).[3] The capacity of the utensil (as opposed to the measurement) is defined by neither law nor custom but only by preferences, and may or may not significantly approximate the measurement.

  1. ^ The Oxford English Dictionary Third edition, December 2008, entry at tablespoon(subscription required)
  2. ^ "How Many Tablespoons in a Cup - Easy Conversions". First Health Mag. 28 April 2016. Retrieved 2016-05-29.
  3. ^ Chuck Smothermon (2002). Better Homes and Gardens Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes. Meredith Books. p. 416. ISBN 9780696215469. Retrieved 9 January 2015.