Dictionary

cruet en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈkɹu.ɪt/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English, from Anglo-Norman cruet, diminutive of Old French crue (“an earthen pot”), from Old Saxon krūka.

Meanings

1. A small bottle or container used to hold a condiment, such as oil, vinegar, salt, or pepper, for use at a dining table.
   • It must always be done at night, so that Jurgis could go along; and even if it were only a pepper cruet, or half a dozen glasses for ten cents, that was enough for an expedition. 1905 April–October, Upton Sinclair, chapter V, in The Jungle, New York, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 26 February 1906, →OCLC:
   • "By Jupiter there's vinegar!" I heard him say to his friend, after he had stood on tiptoe an immense time, and had been crushed and beaten on all sides. "And there's oil!! I saw them distinctly, in cruets! Can any gentleman, in front there, see mustard on the table? Sir, will you oblige me! Do you see a Mustard-Pot?" 1846, Charles Dickens, “Rome”, in Pictures from Italy, London: […] Bradbury & Evans, […], →OCLC, page 223:
   • Mrs. Hussey soon appeared, with a mustard-pot in one hand and a vinegar-cruet in the other, having just broken away from the occupation of attending to the castors, and scolding her little black boy meantime. 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, chapter 17, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC:
   • Near-synonym: shaker (sometimes synonymous)
   • The sideboard was covered with glistening old plate—old cups, both gold and silver; old salvers and cruet-stands, like Rundell and Bridge's shop. 1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter VIII, in Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC:
2. (UK) A stand for these containers.
   • He[…]even had a second slice of lamb, for he was hungry. During the meal, as was his custom, he read from a book propped up against the cruet. 1931, Francis Beeding, “1/1”, in Death Walks in Eastrepps:
3. A small vessel used to hold wine or water for the Eucharist.

Forms

Deriveds

cruet set

Synonyms

caster · shaker · caster

Translations (39)

sdc impulla (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · ka ბარძიმი (small vessel used to hold wine or water for the Eucharist) · ca canadella (small vessel used to hold wine or water for the Eucharist) · ru солонка (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · hi कुप्पी (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · bg потир (small vessel used to hold wine or water for the Eucharist) · ca vinagrera (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · sdn impudda (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · it flacone (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · sq kandër (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · it ampolla (small vessel used to hold wine or water for the Eucharist) · ca setrill (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · ko 양념통 (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · cmn 調味瓶 /调味瓶 (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · vo vinigafladül (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · sv bordsapotek (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · sv apotek (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · es vinajera (small vessel used to hold wine or water for the Eucharist) · ca setrilleres (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · ja カスター (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · it ampolla (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · sc ampulla (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · es vinajera (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · sc canadeglia (small vessel used to hold wine or water for the Eucharist) · fi mausteikko (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · bg шишенце (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · cs karafka (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · sc ampulla (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · pt galheteiro (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · pl ampułka (small vessel used to hold wine or water for the Eucharist) · cs kořenka (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · ro oțetar (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · pl flaszka (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · ru графинчик (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · ru перечница (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · ka უსკურა (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · ota سركهلك (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · it boccetta (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment) · cs solnička (small bottle or container used to hold a condiment)