Spanish word

despensa

Pronunciation

IPA/desˈpensa/

Meaning

  • feminine nounpantry

Example

La despensa está vacía.

The pantry is empty.

Illustration for despensa (pantry)

More examples

Abre la despensa y saca las galletas.

Open the pantry and take out the cookies.

Core concept

Shelves of canned goods, jars, and sacks inside a household storage closet.

Common phrases

  • abrir la despensa

    open the pantry

  • poner en la despensa

    put in the pantry

  • organizar la despensa

    organize the pantry

Similar words

alacena: Holds dishes, glassware, and small kitchen items in a compact cupboard.
armario: Keeps clothing, shoes, and folded garments behind doors in a tall storage unit.

Definition in Spanish

Armario o cuarto destinado a almacenar comestibles y provisiones del hogar, sobre todo productos secos y enlatados.

Word origin

From Latin dispensāre 'to distribute' via medieval Latin dispensa 'provision', despensa names the household place for storing provisions.

Usage tips

  • Often contrasted with alacena: despensa usually means a dedicated space for bulk food storage while alacena denotes a smaller kitchen cupboard for dishes and small items.

Other meanings

  • food cupboardnoun

Word lists with this word