means A heavy, flat-bottomed frying pan, often cast iron, used for searing, frying, and general stovetop cooking.

from Comes through Middle English from Old French 'escuelete,' a little dish — a diminutive of 'escuele,' bowl, which traces back to Latin 'scutella,' a serving platter (itself a cousin of 'scutum,' a shield). So the word's lineage runs from a Roman tray to a small French dish to the iron workhorse on your stove — though some have wondered about a link to Old Norse 'skola,' to wash, that connection is uncertain at best.