Definition

1. Noun:
   • A kitchen utensil with a broad, flat, flexible blade: A hand tool used for mixing, spreading, or lifting soft substances like batter, icing, or food in a pan.
   • A similar tool with a narrow, flexible blade: A type of turner, often used for flipping items like pancakes or eggs.
   • A tool with a flat, blunt blade used in medicine or chemistry: An instrument, such as a tongue depressor or a tool for handling materials in a lab.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • Use a spatula to spread the frosting evenly on the cake.
  • She flipped the pancake with a metal spatula.
  • The doctor used a wooden spatula to examine the patient's throat.

Advanced Usage

• "Offset spatula": A spatula with a bend between the blade and handle, allowing for spreading under obstacles.
  • An offset spatula is perfect for icing a cake without touching the surface.
• "Rubber spatula": A spatula with a flexible silicone or rubber head, used for scraping bowls.
  • Scrape the last bit of batter from the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Variants and Related Words

• Fish spatula (n): A spatula with a slotted, thin, offset blade designed for turning delicate fish.
  • A fish spatula makes it easy to flip a whole fillet without breaking it.
• Spatulate (adj): Having a broad, rounded end.
  • The plant has spatulate leaves.

Synonyms

• Turner: A tool for turning food while cooking.
• Scraper: A tool for scraping mixtures from a bowl or surface.
• Pancake turner: A spatula specifically for flipping pancakes.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

(Note: "Spatula" is a noun and does not typically form phrasal verbs.)

Related Idioms

(Note: There are no common idioms specifically featuring the word "spatula.")

Noun

1. a hand tool with a thin flexible blade used to mix or spread soft substances
2. a turner with a narrow flexible blade