Skillet
/ˈskɪlɪt/noun
A small metal pan used for frying or cooking.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from Latin roots for a small bowl or dish, not from anything mystical—but its journey through French into English shows how ordinary objects can carry centuries of cultural memory.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
scutella
“a small dish or platter”
Late Latin
LL
scutellum
“small dish; little shield”
Old French
OF
escuele / escuelle
“a bowl or dish”
Middle English
ME
skelet / skellet
“a small pan or dish”
Modern English
English
skillet
“a small frying pan”