spoon
spoon
UK[spuːn]US[spuːn]
n
an object with a shallow bowl and a handle, used for eating, stirring, or serving food
n
a spoonful
v
to move or lift something with a spoon
v
(informal) to behave in a very affectionate and sentimental way towards someone
Etymology
the word 'spoon' has a deep germanic lineage, originating from the old english 'spōn', which referred to a chip or sliver of wood. this term is cognate with old norse 'spánn' and old high german 'spān', all sharing the sense of a piece of wood. the semantic shift from a wood chip to an eating utensil is logical, as early spoons were commonly carved from wood. the modern abstract meaning, encompassing both the utensil and the action of using it, evolved naturally from this tangible origin.
Analysis
the word 'spoon' is a simplex word. its core form is not productively built from smaller, meaningful morphemes in modern english.
Examples
she stirred her tea with a silver spoon.
add two spoons of sugar to the mixture.
the couple were spooning on the sofa.