chef's knife

noun

: a knife used for preparing food
especially : a large, general-purpose kitchen knife usually 8 to 10 inches long that has a blade curving upward along its length and ending in a narrow point
The chef's knife, usually 8 inches long, is … the workhorse of the kitchen. It is used for chopping, slicing, and dicing a variety of foods. Consumer Reports

Examples of chef's knife in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The easiest way to trim asparagus is to line up the entire bundle of asparagus by the ends, then use a large chef's knife to trim about one inch off the end of the spears. Jessica Hanners, Southern Living, 24 Nov. 2023 Get comfortable with a chef's knife to make these tasks feel quick and easy. Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Oct. 2023 Cut off the stem With a heavy-duty chef's knife, cut off the stem of the butternut squash. Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 21 Sep. 2023 Paring knives are pared down versions of chef's knives. Nicole Papantoniou, Good Housekeeping, 31 Aug. 2023 And yet another option is to lightly crush the cherry with the side of a chef's knife to loosen the pit enough to be able to pick it out. Sheri Castle, Southern Living, 13 July 2023 Below are chef's knives on deep discount to improve or expand your culinary horizons. Danny Perez, Popular Mechanics, 12 July 2023 Use a paring knife to remove any leaves or tough skin on the stalks, then use the chef's knife to slice and separate the head from the stalks. Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 July 2023 Ideal for bread, cake, tomatoes and other foods that would be crushed if cut by a chef's knife. Maryal Miller Carter, USA TODAY, 13 July 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chef's knife.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chef's knife was in 1893

Dictionary Entries Near chef's knife

Cite this Entry

“Chef's knife.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chef%27s%20knife. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

chef's knife

noun
: a large kitchen knife with a triangular blade
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!