butter pat

USAGE SUMMARY

"butter pat" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when referring to a small portion of butter, often served in a small dish or wrapper. Example: "She placed a butter pat on the warm roll." Alternative expressions include "butter portion" and "butter dollop."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

In the meantime, his royalties from his butter pat machine patent grew to $80 million.

The New York Times

In the club's Tap Room, a Naugahyde shrine to the butter pat and the lemon wedge, Irving ordered a salmon salad.

The New Yorker

Carell has a face built for comedy, its Sears-catalogue handsomeness hilarified by a butter pat of hair, an L-wrench nose, and deep-socketed, woe-is-me green eyes.

The New Yorker

But rarely has the nature of a butter pat been so altered and improved upon as it has at the new Fatty 'Cue in Greenwich Village, the latest and best of Zakary Pelaccio's small group of Fatty restaurants.

The New York Times - Food

He saw the graphic potential, as no other artist ever has, of a baked potato -- replete with melting butter pat -- thrown into a corner, an almost-quivering fleshly register of the velocity with which it was hurled (1965).

The New York Times - Arts

Or -- he winced at the thought -- retire to his home in Connecticut and collect royalties on the butter pat machine, which he says amount to roughly $2 million a year.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

(No foil-wrapped butter pats here).

The New York Times

I mean it's quite jokey about these butter pats.

Independent

The company packaged butter pats for restaurants and institutions.

The New York Times

Even the molded butter pats, accompanying excellent crisp-crusted bread, took me back in time.

The New York Times

Mix thoroughly using the butter pats, then weigh into slabs as before.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In formal menus, prefer the term "butter pat" or "butter rosette" over more informal terms like "gob of butter".

Common error

Writers frequently use the word "pad" when they mean "pat". While "butter pad" is widely understood due to its similar sound, 'pat' is the traditional term derived from the action of 'patting' the butter into a specific shape.

Linguistic Context

As a noun phrase, "butter pat" functions as a specific unit of measurement or serving size. In the sentences provided by Ludwig, it often acts as the direct object of a verb or a subject in descriptions of meal service.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Wiki

15%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Social Media

3%

Science

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "butter pat" is a robust and grammatically correct term used to describe a single serving of butter. According to Ludwig AI, it is prevalent in high-quality journalism, particularly when detailing dining experiences or culinary history. The analysis shows that while "butter pad" is a frequent variant, "butter pat" remains the preferred choice for writers seeking precision and adherence to traditional culinary standards. Its use spans from simple recipes in WikiHow to sophisticated cultural critiques in The New Yorker, making it a versatile and essential term in the English lexicon for describing food.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

pat of butter

Reverses the noun and modifier, placing more emphasis on the 'pat' itself.

butter pad

A frequent phonetic variant, though often considered less formally correct in a culinary sense.

butter portion

More technical and less descriptive, common in catering and industrial food service.

square of butter

Describes the physical shape specifically, used when the butter is pre-cut into geometric blocks.

butter dollop

Implies a less structured, more rounded or soft amount of butter.

knob of butter

A British English idiom referring to an informal, rounded piece of butter.

slice of butter

Used when the butter is cut from a larger block or roll using a knife.

butter curl

Specifically refers to butter shaped into decorative spirals using a specialized tool.

butter cube

Refers to a thick, equal-sided portion, often served chilled.

individual butter

Focuses on the serving style rather than the physical form of the butter.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "butter pat"?

You can use terms like "pat of butter", "butter portion" or "butter square" depending on the specific shape and context.

How to use "butter pat" in a sentence?

You might write: "The waiter placed a single "butter pat" on the side of the warm bread plate."

Which is correct, "butter pat" or "butter pad"?

"butter pat" is the traditionally correct term in culinary contexts, while "butter pad" is a common phonetic misspelling that has gained some colloquial acceptance.

What is the size of a "butter pat"?

A standard "butter pat" usually weighs about 10 grams, which is approximately the size of a "small square" or one tablespoon.