We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Literature

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is a Runcible Spoon?

Tricia Christensen
By
Updated: May 23, 2024
Views: 27,992
Share

A runcible spoon is a fictional spoon. The word “runcible” is a nonsense term first used by the poet Edward Lear in the 19th century. Lear used the term first in his poem “The Owl and The Pussycat,” where the two besotted animals dine on mince and slices of quince, eating them with a “runcible spoon.” Lear also used the term runcible again as a modifier for hat, goose, and wall.

To help decide what a runcible spoon truly is, Lear offers an illustration of the Dolumphious Duck, who catches frogs with one. Although the spoon is often defined as a spork in modern language, Lear’s illustration offers us a different look at what it might be. It appears to be a long-handled spoon with a large curved bowl, somewhat resembling a punch bowl spoon or a ladle. Unlike the spork, Lear’s drawing does not include tines.

There are several explanations on possible inspirations for the word runcible. The most likely appears to be that it derives from the word rouncival or rounceval, primarily French in origin. Rouncival is defined as exceptionally large, and this adjective would explain Lear’s drawing.

A Latin word runcare means to weed out. This word could explain the Dolumphious Duck’s fishing process with a runcible spoon. The duck is really weeding out the frogs from the water. Yet it does not make sense when a person or a hat is considered runcible.

Despite the nebulous meaning of the words runcible spoon, they trip off the tongue with delight and account for their many uses by other authors. Isaac Asimov refers to it in his novel The Currents of Space. Lemony Snicket, in his final book in the Series of Unfortunate Events: The End, mentions an island cult where members only use this spoon as a utensil.

Runcible Spoon is also the name of jazz band, a store in Rhode Island that sells kitchen items, a restaurant in Indiana, and a bakery in New York. Despite an unclear picture of what it is, or even what the adjective means, it continues to capture the public’s imagination.

Share
Language & Humanities is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Tricia Christensen
By Tricia Christensen
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a Language & Humanities contributor, Tricia Christensen is based in Northern California and brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her writing. Her wide-ranging interests include reading, writing, medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion, all of which she incorporates into her informative articles. Tricia is currently working on her first novel.
Discussion Comments
By anon995935 — On Jun 12, 2016

I find it quite queer, hearing that Edward Lear's

runcible spoon (itself a great boon)

is not understood,

but it easily could,

when into my cranium,

while studying Romanian, "Arunca" (a verb)

translates to the word

that we say as throw,

and therefore (ergo)

it seems to me plausible

the spoon is disposable

By panda2006 — On Nov 06, 2010

@FirstViolin, I always wanted to know what a runcible spoon was, and secretly wanted one myself. I suppose I, too, will just have to settle with the words and not the spoon.

By FirstViolin — On Aug 30, 2010

When I was little, I was big into collectible spoons. My uncle, knowing this, mentioned a runcible spoon offhand, probably never thinking that it would roll right off me.

However, I got really interested in it, and looked all over the place for a silver runcible spoon -- I mean, I crawled through way too many souvenir spoon displays and flea market spoon racks looking for a runcible spoon, until somebody finally took pity on me and let me in on the joke.

It's a running joke in our family now, but I have to say I still love the words -- they really do trip off the tongue.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a Language & Humanities contributor,...
Learn more
Share
https://www.languagehumanities.org/what-is-a-runcible-spoon.htm
Copy this link
Language & Humanities, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

Language & Humanities, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.