colander

American  

[kuhl-uhn-der, kol-] / ˈkʌl ən dər, ˈkɒl- /

Also cullender

noun

1. a metal or plastic container with a perforated bottom, for draining and straining foods.

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colander British  

/ ˈkʌl-, ˈkɒləndə /

noun

1. a pan with a perforated bottom for straining or rinsing foods

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Etymology

Origin of colander

1400–50; late Middle English colyndore, perhaps (with nasalization) < Old Provençal colador < Medieval Latin cōlātōrium, equivalent to Latin cōlā(re) “to strain” (verbal derivative of cōlum strainer) + -tōrium -tory ²

Compare meaning

How does colander compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• colander vs. strainer
• colander vs. sieve

Example Sentences

Sometimes I felt like my brain was one of those colanders our housekeeper, Mrs. Ellsworth, used to drain pasta, full of little holes that let all sorts of important things escape without my permission.

From Literature

And the NHL’s most fearsome netminder suddenly looked as impenetrable as a colander.

From The Wall Street Journal

No longer are we picking through clothing donations or wishing we had a colander or worrying about running out of time in short-term rentals.

From Los Angeles Times

Enthralled, Elio plops a colander on his head and pleads for aliens to touch down and “take me with you — but not in a desperate way.”

From Los Angeles Times

Using a colander or other method of choice, shake off excess flour-cornmeal before lowering okra into hot oil.

From Salon