skillet
UK[ˈskɪlɪt]US[ˈskɪlɪt]
n
A frying pan.
Etymology
The word 'skillet' entered English in the 15th century from the Middle French 'escuelete', a term for a small dish. This French word traces its lineage to the Latin 'scutella', meaning a small shallow bowl or dish, which is the diminutive form of 'scutra', a flat pan or tray. The semantic journey is direct, moving from a general term for a small, shallow dish to its specific modern application for a frying pan, typically one with a long handle. The spelling evolution from 'escuelete' to 'skillet' reflects English phonetic adaptation and simplification.
Analysis
The word is a simplex loanword. Its core component is derived from the Middle French 'escuelete', meaning a small dish or platter, which itself came from Latin 'scutella', a diminutive of 'scutra' (a flat tray or dish).
Examples
She fried the eggs in a cast-iron skillet.
This recipe calls for a large, oven-safe skillet.
He seasoned the new skillet before using it for the first time.