Dishes, utensils, and other items made of silver or a silver-colored metal, used for eating and serving food.
From 'silver' (the metal, from Old English 'seolfor') plus 'ware' (goods or items). The term has been used since the 17th century to describe objects made of or coated with silver.
Most 'silverware' you use probably isn't actually silver—it's usually steel or a silver-colored alloy, because real silver is expensive and soft! Fancy restaurants often have two sets: one for actual use and precious silver for show.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.