Tablespoon (tbsp)

Definition

A US tablespoon, half a fluid ounce (14.78676478125 milliliters).

History

The tablespoon became a fixed cooking measure as recipes were standardised, set in the US at half a fluid ounce, about 14.8 milliliters, and equal to three teaspoons.

Where it is used

Tablespoons are an everyday kitchen measure for cooking and baking across the English-speaking world, though the exact size varies a little by country.

Typical uses include recipes.

Conversion pages

These pages convert tablespoon to or from another unit in volume.

• Tablespoon to milliliter
• Tablespoon to teaspoon

Other Volume units

• Liter (L)
• Milliliter (mL)
• US gallon (gal)
• US quart (qt)
• US pint (pt)
• US cup (cup)
• US fluid ounce (fl oz)
• Teaspoon (tsp)
• Cubic meter (m³)
• Cubic foot (ft³)

Sources

• NIST HB 44 NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C §2 (U.S. Customary Units) and §5 (Tables of Equivalents) · Dataset reviewed Nov 11, 2026