Dish Towel

American term for tea towel - kitchen cloth for drying dishes. Typically flat-woven cotton or linen.

Dish towel is the American English term for a cloth used to dry dishes - equivalent to British "tea towel."

Usage

The term "dish towel" is primarily:

  • American English
  • Canadian English
  • Some international contexts

vs "Kitchen Towel"

In American usage:

  • Dish towel: Cloth for drying dishes
  • Kitchen towel/paper towels: Disposable paper

In British usage:

  • Tea towel: Cloth for drying dishes
  • Kitchen roll: Disposable paper
  • Kitchen towel: Can mean either

Characteristics

Same as tea towels:

  • Flat woven
  • Cotton or linen
  • Lint-free preferred
  • Absorbent