NYT Dictionary

KETTLE

/ˈkɛ.təl/
NounVerbKET-tleket-tle · 2 syllablesGrade 6

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026

Meaning

A vessel for boiling a liquid or cooking food, usually metal and equipped with a lid.

Etymology

Origin: Old English

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”). Cognate with West Frisian tsjettel (“kettle”), Dutch ketel (“kettle”), German Kessel (“kettle”), Swedish kittel (“cauldron, kettle”), Gothic 𐌺𐌰𐍄𐌹𐌻𐍃 (katils, “kettle”), Finnish kattila, Polish kocioł (“cauldron”), Czech kotel (“boiler”), Russian котёл (kotjól, “boiler, cauldron”). (watch): Cockney rhyming slang from 'kettle and hob' to 'fob' (fob watch).

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

teakettlecauldronpickleass in a slingbindbucket of syrupcalvarycrosscross to beardifficulty

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 4 recorded puzzles:

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