colander
KUL-un-dur
ˈkʌləndər
A bowl with holes in it, used for draining liquid from food.
Typically used for larger items like pasta or vegetables, whereas a sieve is for finer particles.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'colum', meaning strainer. It has remained remarkably unchanged in function for thousands of years.
Word relationships
- strainer: A general term; a colander is a specific bowl-shaped strainer.
Commonly confused with
- sieve: A colander has large holes; a sieve has fine mesh.
Collocations
- pasta colander
- plastic colander
- stainless steel colander
Example sentences
- "Drain the spinach in a colander and press out all the water." Recipe instruction
- "Set the colander in the sink before you pour the boiling pasta water out." Kitchen basics
Memory hook
A COLANDER has many 'COL-umns' of holes. The pasta drainer.
When not to use
Don't use for sifting flour; the holes are too large.
Fun facts
- The 'Pastafarian' religion uses a colander as a sacred head-covering in their satirical protests.
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