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

Still, this is a remarkably affordable option for a Japanese carbon steel chef's knife that excels in making more precise cuts. —Molly Higgins, Wired News, 2 May 2025

Using a sharp chef's knife, slice the watermelon in half. —Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 June 2024

The set includes a chef's knife, a santoku knife, a bread knife, a utility knife, a paring knife, six steak knives, and kitchen shears, all made with stainless steel blades. —Mia Huelsbeck, People.com, 8 Mar. 2025

In today's job market, choosing between being a virtuoso or polymath is like choosing between a chef's knife and a Swiss Army knife - one perfectly crafted for a specific purpose, the other ready for anything. —Ann Kirschner, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for chef's knife

• alewife
• birdlife
• folklife
• housewife
• jackknife
• loosestrife
• midlife
• midwife
• nightlife
• penknife
• wildlife
• afterlife

Kids Definition

chef's knife

noun

: a large kitchen knife with a triangular blade