kitchen

UK: /ˈkɪtʃɪn/ US: /ˈkɪtʃən/ ,(kich′ən)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

kitch•en /ˈkɪtʃən/   n. [countable]

1. a room or place equipped for cooking or preparing food, washing dishes, and the like.

adj. [before a noun]

2. Linguistics of or resembling a language used for communication between employers and employees who do not speak the same language:
   knew enough kitchen English to understand simple orders.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

kitch•en  (kich′ən), n. 

1. a room or place equipped for cooking.
2. culinary department;
   cuisine:
   This restaurant has a fine Italian kitchen.
3. the staff or equipment of a kitchen.

adj. 

4. of, pertaining to, or designed for use in a kitchen:
   kitchen window; kitchen curtains.
5. employed in or assigned to a kitchen:
   kitchen help.
6. Linguistics of or resembling a pidginized language, esp. one used for communication between employers and servants or other employees who do not speak the same language.

• bef. 1000; Middle English kichene, Old English cycene Latin coquīna, equivalent. to coqu(ere) to cook + -īna -ine¹; compare cuisine

kitch′en•less, adj. 
kitch′en•y, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

kitchen / ˈkɪtʃɪn/ noun

1. a room or part of a building equipped for preparing and cooking food
2. (as modifier): a kitchen table

Etymology: Old English cycene, ultimately from Late Latin coquīna, from Latin coquere to cook; see kiln