colander

Also cul·len·der

[kuhl-uhn-der, kol-]

noun

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

colander

/ ˈkʌl-, ˈkɒləndə /

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of colander¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of colander¹

C14 colyndore, probably from Old Provençal colador, via Medieval Latin, from Late Latin cōlāre to filter, from Latin cōlum sieve

Example Sentences

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

If you don't have access to eclipse glasses, you can create a simple pinhole camera with just two sheets of cardboard or even use a colander to project the Sun's image safely onto the ground.

From BBC

Farther to the east, at one point it seemed as if the Mojave Desert was as hole-pocked as a colander.

From Los Angeles Times