What does cullender mean?
A cullender is a kitchen utensil consisting of a bowl-shaped container pierced with holes, used for draining water from cooked food such as pasta, rice, or vegetables. It is entirely equivalent to what is today more commonly spelled "colander" — both spellings refer to the same object, and both derive from the same early modern English word, which itself has an uncertain origin, possibly tracing back through medieval Latin to a verb meaning "to strain." In practice, a cook pours boiling contents into the cullender so the liquid escapes through the perforations while the food remains inside. The word carries no particular connotation beyond its domestic, practical setting, appearing most often in recipes and household writing. Although still understood by English speakers, "cullender" is now considered an archaic or secondary spelling, and dictionaries typically list it as a variant of "colander," which dominates contemporary usage on both sides of the Atlantic.
nounA cullender is a perforated bowl-shaped kitchen utensil used for draining liquids from food such as pasta or vegetables. It is a less common spelling variant of "colander."
- A perforated bowl-shaped vessel used to drain liquid from cooked food, especially pasta or vegetables.
"She tipped the boiled potatoes into the cullender to let the water drain away."
"Pour the pasta into the cullender before rinsing it under cold water."
"The recipe instructs you to let the greens wilt, then tip them into a cullender to drain."
Standard pluralization; rarely needed since the word is uncommon in modern usage.
"The kitchen was stocked with several sizes of cullenders."
Cullender is simply an old-fashioned spelling of colander — the two words have been rivals since at least the seventeenth century, and 'colander' eventually won.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of cullender
Cullender and colander are variant forms of the same word, which entered English in the late Middle Ages with spellings that varied widely. Its deeper origin is genuinely uncertain: it is often linked to Latin colare, "to strain" (from colum, "a sieve"), perhaps via a medieval Latin noun for a straining vessel, though the exact transmission is debated. Over time the spelling settled on "colander," leaving "cullender" as a recognized but increasingly old-fashioned variant.
How cullender is actually used
The word functions identically to "colander" but is now rare; modern English overwhelmingly prefers the spelling "colander." It appears mainly in older cookery texts and regional usage.
Easily confused with cullender
A cullender is a kitchen utensil for draining food, while a calendar is a chart of days, weeks, and months used for tracking dates.