French word

poêle

Pronunciation

IPA/pwal/

Meaning

  • feminine nounfrying pan

Example

J'ai fait une omelette dans la poêle.

I made an omelet in the frying pan.

Illustration for poêle (frying pan)

More examples

Fais chauffer l'huile dans la poêle.

Heat the oil in the frying pan.

Core concept

A household heat tool, either open and flat for cooking or enclosed for heating a living space.

Common phrases

  • poêle à frire

    frying pan

  • poêle antiadhésive

    nonstick frying pan

  • faire sauter à la poêle

    saute in a frying pan

Similar words

casserole: A moderately deep handled pot for simmering or warming food.
poêle à frire: A shallow, flat-bottomed handled pan used for frying food.

Definition in French

Désigne principalement un ustensile de cuisson plat muni d'une poignée, et par extension un appareil de chauffage domestique selon le contexte.

Word origin

The word ultimately derives from Latin patella through Old French, where it named a shallow metal cooking dish before French also used it for a heating stove.

Usage tips

  • For the heating sense, the fuel or material is commonly specified in phrases such as poêle à bois or poêle à pétrole.

Other meanings

  • stovenoun

Related words

  • poêlerpan-fryverb
  • poêlépan-friedadjective
  • poêléepan-fried dishnoun

Word lists with this word