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Definition of teakettle
teakettle
/ˈtiːˌkɛt.əl/
tea · ket · tle
Plural:teakettles
teakettle Lexical Profile
CEFR
B1
Grade
4
Tier
2
Usage
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Scrabble US
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WWF
Wordle Guess
• noun
1
A covered vessel, typically made of metal or heat-resistant glass, equipped with a handle and a spout, used primarily for boiling water.
Example
"She placed the teakettle on the stove and waited for the high-pitched whistle signaling the water was boiling."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for teakettleWord Nuance & Usage
In British English, this object is almost exclusively referred to simply as a 'kettle', whereas 'teakettle' is more commonly used in North American English to distinguish it from larger cooking kettles.
Word Origin & Etymology
A compound of 'tea' (from Amoy Chinese 't'e') and 'kettle' (from Old English 'cetel', ultimately from Latin 'catillus' meaning deep pan or bowl). The combined term arose in the late 17th century as tea drinking became popular in the West.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Teakettle. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/teakettle