A ladle is a large, deep spoon with a long handle, used for scooping and serving liquids like soup, stew, or punch. Picture a spoon the size of a small bowl attached to a handle as long as a ruler: that's a ladle. When you're serving chicken noodle soup from a big pot, you use a ladle to scoop it into individual bowls without spilling or splashing.

The deep bowl of the ladle holds much more than a regular spoon, making it perfect for transferring hot liquids safely. The long handle keeps your hands away from steam and heat. You might see ladles hanging in restaurant kitchens, sitting in punch bowls at parties, or dangling from hooks near a pot of chili at a cookout.

As a verb, to ladle means to serve something with a ladle. A cook might ladle gravy over mashed potatoes or ladle hot chocolate into mugs on a cold day. The word suggests a smooth, careful scooping and pouring motion that fills a container just right without making a mess.