double boiler
Americannoun
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a utensil consisting of two pots, one of which fits partway into the other: water is boiled in the lower pot to cook or warm food or melt a substance in the upper.
noun
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Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): double saucepan. a cooking utensil consisting of two saucepans, one fitting inside the other. The bottom saucepan contains water that, while boiling, gently heats food in the upper pan
Etymology
Origin of double boiler
An Americanism dating back to 1875–80
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
There are a few ways to make hollandaise — some chefs swear by a blender or even the microwave — but I still use the double boiler method I learned in school.
From Salon • Jun. 5, 2025
Place the caramels and the cream in the top pan of the double boiler, or the saucepan in the skillet.
From Washington Times • Nov. 1, 2023
Some cooks prefer mixing the sauce in a double boiler, or a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, which is one of the methods Gill and Parla share in their book.
From Washington Post • Feb. 23, 2022
Swiss meringue is made from egg whites and sugar heated in a double boiler until the sugar melts, then beaten until buoyant and creamy.
From New York Times • Feb. 7, 2022
I paint polished wood, and metal: a copper-bottomed frying pan, as seen from the bottom, an aluminum double boiler.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.