skillet

Old French escuëlette, diminutive of escuëlle (“a porringer”), (French écuelle), from Vulgar Latin scutella, diminutive of scutra, scuta (“tray, dish”). Compare scuttle (“basket”).

• enPR: skĭlʹĭt, IPA^(key): /ˈskɪlɪt/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪlɪt

skillet (plural skillets)

1. (Midland US, Southern US) A pan for frying, generally large and heavy.

   Heat some oil in a cast-iron skillet and add the onions.

2. (Midland US, Southern US, sometimes attributive) A dish or meal cooked in such a pan.

   This is an easy skillet with potatoes and bacon.

   Can you make up a quick skillet hash?

• (pan for frying): frying pan (UK, US)

skillet (third-person singular simple present skillets, present participle skilleting, simple past and past participle skilleted)

1. To cook in a skillet.
   • 1960, The Cattleman, volume 47, page 46:

     Now that the season has arrived in many parts of the country for the nimrods to load their trusty Thirty-Thirties and go forth in quest of the elusive deer, it seems an appropriate time to say a word about the skilleting of venison — which can be a pretty tough and dry proposition if not properly handled.

   • 2010, David Lawday, The Giant of the French Revolution: Danton, A Life:

     That said, Danton in manhood is probed and skilleted, admired and reviled in a multitude of memoirs written by contemporaries who love him, loathe him or simply stand and watch as the Danton tempest roars past.

Although somewhat common, skillet is less common than frying pan in American English. It is not likely to be recognized in British English, where the term frying pan is more commonly used.

• killest

skillet n

1. definite singular of skille