Dinnerware Glossery

Here is a list of common dinnerware terms. This list is a work in process, with more items being added.

Batter bowl – usually a deep bowl, with a spout for pouring out the batter, and sometimes has a handle for ease of pouring.

Bowl - an open container for eating and storing food, liquid, etc. Basic component of dinnerware.

Bread and Butter plate – usually 4” to 5 ½” in diameter, can also be called a dessert plate

Buffet plate – usually a different size/shape than the dinner plate. The Buffet plate varies in size, depending upon the dinnerware manufacturer. The Buffet plate can be larger or smaller than the dinner plate, depending on the manufacturer.

Can Mug - this name defines the shape of the mug. The most common shape of Mugs is the Can Mug (the mug is cylindrical in shape, like a can with a handle on it).

Cappuccino mug – size varies by manufacturer. A Cappuccino mug is usually a wide mug, sometimes the body of the mug is as wide as it is tall.

Casserole – usually a deep bowl with a lid, holding 2 to 3 quarts, and is usually oven safe.

Centerpiece bowl – usually a shallow, wide bowl, holding 3 or more quarts. Often used as decorative item, being placed on display as home decor.

Ceramic - any of various hard material made by firing a non-metallic mineral, as clay.

Cereal bowl – usually a deeper bowl, holding 16 to 24 ounces of fluid.

Charger – a plate usually greater than 12” in diameter. When setting the table, these plates are set under the dinner plate. Chargers can function either as a large Dinner plate or as a small round Platter. Be aware, Chargers may be purely decorative pieces and not food safe. Please carefully read the descriptions to ensure you are buying what you want. A Charger can also be called a Chop plate.

Chop plate – usually greater than 12” in diameter. see definition for Charger.

Coffee Mug - common name for most Mugs.

Covered serving bowl – usually a deep bowl with a lid, holding 2 to 3 quarts, often not oven safe.

Cup - usually holds 8 ounces. A Cup shape is usually round and wide at the top, and round and small at the bottom, and is paired with a saucer

Demitasse Cup - a small cup, can also be called a Demitasse mug(traditionally a demitasse cup will be paired with a demitasse saucer, while a Demitasse Mug is a stand alone item.)

Demitasse Mug - a small mug, can also be called a Demitasse cup (traditionally a demitasse cup will be paired with a demitasse saucer, while a Demitasse Mug is a stand alone item.)

Dessert bowl – usually smaller than cereal bowl, holding 10 to 16 ounces of fluid, but this can vary greatly by manufacturer.

Dessert plate – usually 4” to 5 ½” in diameter, call also be called a Bread and Butter plate

Dinner plate – usually 10” to 12” in diameter, but can be smaller. Some dinnerware manufacturers call a 9″ plate a dinner plate.

Flatware - in the tableware and dinnerware industry, flatware refers to knives, forks, spoons, etc.

Fruit bowl – usually smaller than cereal bowl, holding 10 to 16 ounces of fluid, but this can vary greatly by manufacturer.

Java Mug - usually a mid to large sized mug, with a capacity of 12 - 16 ounces.

Jumbo Mug – like the name says, it holds a lot, usually starting at 16 ounces. Jumbo Mugs are a variety of shapes, including a can shape.

Lunch or Luncheon plate – usually 8” to 9 ½” in diameter

Mixing bowl – a deeper bowl, usually in multiple sizes that neatly nest inside each other.

Mug – usually holds 10 to 16 ounces of fluid. Mugs come in a wide variety of shapes.

Pasta bowl – usually a wide shallow bowl, it may or may not have a rim edge – also great for salad.

Pedestal mug – a mug with a pedestal base, usually a very decorative styling of Mug shape.

Plates - a flatter dish, usually round, but can also be square or oval. Plate shapes are coupe, small rim, or wide rim.

Platters – a large flat dish that come in all shapes and sizes. The most popular shapes are round, oval, rectangular and square. The size for Platters usually start at 12” in diameter, and can be as large as 24”.

Ramekin – small bowl, holding 2 to 8 ounces, usually straight sided and made to withstand high temperatures.

Rim soup bowl – usually a wide shallow bowl, with a rim edge.

Salad bowl – usually a deeper bowl, holding 3 or more quarts.

Salad plate – usually 6” to 7 ½” in diameter, rarely is also called a dessert plate

Saucer - a small plate with a well or depression in the center, where a cup sits. Usually 4″ in diameter.

Serving bowl – usually a deeper bowl, comes in a variety of sizes and shapes, holding 1 ½ to 3 quart.

Soup/cereal bowl – usually a deeper bowl, holding 16 to 24 ounces of fluid.

Souper Mug - usually a Souper Mug is wider than it is tall, designed to function as a soup bowl with a handle. The Souper Mug was primarily made by Pfaltzgraff.

Tea cup - a handled container used to drink liquids, usually hold 8 to 10 ounces, wider round at the top, smaller round at the bottom.

Vegetable bowl – usually a deeper bowl, comes in a variety of sizes and shapes, holding 1 ½ to 3 quarts.

Vitrified - A fully vitrified body is not porous, it is solid.

Vitrified dinnerware - containing less than 1% water in the ceramic body.