pan

pan — noun

1. a wide, round metal dish with a long handle, sometimes with a cover, that people

1.nounA2
Definition

a wide, round metal dish with a long handle, sometimes with a cover, that people use when cooking food over heat on the stove

Example

Megan heated olive oil in a large pan before adding the onions.

collocation: heat oil in a pan

The kitchen cupboard was full of pans of different shapes and sizes.

Common collocations
  • frying pan
  • saucepan
  • non-stick pan
  • pan handle
  • pan lid
  • grease a pan
  • heat a pan
  • wash a pan
Synonyms
  • saucepan

    a deep pan with a long handle and a lid, used for boiling or simmering

  • frying pan

    a wide, shallow pan without a lid, used for frying food

  • skillet

    American English term for a frying pan, often made of cast iron

Common Mistakes

I boiled water in a pot.' (when meaning a frying pan).
I boiled water in a pot, then fried the vegetables in a pan.
a pot is deeper and used for boiling; a pan is wide and shallow for frying.

2. a rectangular or round metal dish that goes into an oven for baking or roasting

2.nounB1
Definition

a rectangular or round metal dish that goes into an oven for baking or roasting food, usually without a cover

Example

Christopher placed the chicken on a baking pan and put it in the oven.

collocation: baking pan

The lasagna was bubbling in a rectangular pan when Adina took it out.

Common collocations
  • baking pan
  • roasting pan
  • cake pan
  • loaf pan
  • line a pan
  • grease a pan
Synonyms
  • baking tray

    a flat, rectangular metal sheet for baking, without raised sides

  • roasting tin

    a large, deep pan for cooking meat or vegetables in the oven

  • cake tin

    a round or rectangular pan specifically for baking cakes

Usage Note

Unlike a COOKING PAN (sense 1), an oven pan is designed to go inside an oven and usually has no lid. The most common types are named after the dish they make: cake pan, loaf pan, roasting pan, baking pan.

3. the curved open basin at the bottom of a toilet where water collects

3.nounB2
Definition

the curved open basin at the bottom of a toilet where water collects

Example

The plumber replaced the cracked pan of the toilet on the ground floor.

British usage: toilet pan

Astrid poured cleaning solution into the toilet pan and left it overnight.

Common collocations
  • toilet pan
  • cracked pan
  • clean the pan
  • water in the pan
Synonyms
  • toilet bowl

    the standard term in both American and British English for the bowl part of a toilet

  • lavatory pan

    a formal British term used by plumbers and in building regulations

Usage Note

Common in British English. In American English, speakers usually say 'toilet bowl' or simply 'toilet' rather than 'pan'.

4. a betel leaf folded around pieces of areca nut and mineral lime, chewed as a mil

4.noun
Definition

a betel leaf folded around pieces of areca nut and mineral lime, chewed as a mild stimulant, common in South and Southeast Asia

Example

In parts of South Asia, people chew pan after meals as a digestive aid.

regional usage: South Asia

Bilal's grandmother taught him to fold a fresh pan with some lime.

Common collocations
  • chew pan
  • fold a pan
  • sweet pan
  • pan vendor
  • pan leaf
Synonyms
  • paan

    the more common English spelling, showing the Hindi origin of the word

  • betel quid

    a more formal term used in medical and anthropological writing

Usage Note

Also spelled 'paan'. This sense is limited to South Asian and Southeast Asian cultural contexts. In English-language menus and travel guides, the spelling 'paan' is more common.

pan — verb

pan — adjective

Word family

  • panful
    noun
  • panning
    nounC1
  • panned
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All five words describe containers used for cooking, but they differ in shape and function. A 'pan' is typically wide and shallow with a long handle, used for frying, searing, or sautéing on a stovetop. A 'saucepan' is deeper than a pan and has a lid and a long handle, designed for boiling, simmering, or making sauces. A 'pot' is tall with two small handles and a lid, meant for boiling large quantities like soup, pasta, or stock. A 'frying pan' (or 'frypan') is the same as a wide pan — its name emphasises the cooking method. 'Skillet' is the American English word for a frying pan, most often made of cast iron. When choosing which word to use, think about the cooking method: if you are frying something flat, use 'pan' or 'frying pan'; if you are boiling pasta, use 'pot'; if you are making a small batch of soup, use 'saucepan'.

pan ↗saucepan ↗pot ↗frying panskillet

Common collocations

Phrases

  • pan and pot
  • pan out (phrasal verb, figurative)

Prepositions

  • in a pan
  • into a pan
  • out of a pan
  • from a pan
  • across (camera pan)

Etymology

Germanic (Old English)LatinGreek (panorama/pansexual)

The word 'pan' for a cooking container comes from Old English 'panne', which traces back through Germanic languages to Latin 'patina' (a shallow dish or pan). The verb sense 'to pan a camera' was invented in the early 1900s, clipped from 'panorama' (from Greek 'pan-' meaning 'all' + 'horama' meaning 'view'). The verb 'to pan for gold' comes directly from the noun — prospectors use a pan-shaped dish to wash gravel. The verb 'to pan' meaning 'to criticise harshly' may come from the idea of separating worthless material from valuable gold in a panning dish, or from an older theatrical expression. The sexuality sense 'pan' is a 20th-century clipping of 'pansexual', which uses the Greek prefix 'pan-' (all) combined with 'sexual'.