Drainer

/ˈdreɪnər/ noun

Definition

A person or device that drains something, such as a kitchen utensil with holes for draining pasta or vegetables, or a person who removes water or liquid.

Etymology

From 'drain' + '-er' (suffix meaning 'one who does' or 'a thing that does'). This productive suffix creates many English nouns for both people and implements.

Kelly Says

The pasta drainer is a perfect example of how a simple need—separating pasta from boiling water—gets solved with basic engineering. Medieval cooks actually used ladles with holes, and the modern drainer is just that same solution made more convenient and standardized.

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