trivet

Meanings

1. A stand with three short legs, especially for cooking over a fire.
2. A stand, sometimes with short, stumpy feet, or a mat used to support hot dishes and protect a table; a coaster.
3. A weaver's knife used to cut out the wire that was used to form a pile.

Etymology

PIE word *tréyes From Middle English trevet, from Old English trefet, borrowed from Latin tripēs, tripedis (“tripod”).