Flatware, within the context of eating, refers to a category of dining tools and utensils used by individuals during meals. This typically includes individual pieces such as forks, spoons, and knives, or can be a comprehensive set containing different types of each, like dinner forks, salad forks, soup spoons, teaspoons, butter knives or steak knives. They are normally manufactured from durable, easy-to-clean materials like stainless steel, silver, or plastic. In formal dining, flatware also adheres to specific placements and usage rules. The term 'flatware' originated from the flatter shapes of these utensils compared to the more voluminous shapes of pots, pans, and dishes, which are collectively referred to as "hollowware."

1. Stainless steel dinner fork: This is a flatware piece you can use for general eating purposes. 2. Silver plated soup spoon: This is a type of flatware that is specifically used for consuming soup. 3. Gold-plated steak knife: This flatware item is predominantly for cutting meat during a meal. 4. Reusable bamboo salad fork: An eco-friendly flatware choice used to toss and serve salad. 5. Bronze dessert spoon: A type of flatware specifically designed for eating dessert, typically smaller than a regular spoon to better enjoy small bites of a sweet course.

Did you know that flatware, the term we use for eating utensils, played a significant role in the social hierarchy of dining norms? The use of specific flatware utensils was a rare commodity in the early days and was solely reserved for the nobility. In medieval times, only the host was provided with a personal knife and fork, which were seen as a symbol of wealth and power. Similarly, spoons were not commonplace and people commonly used their fingers or bread to scoop up food. It was only around the 17th century that flatware became more common for general populace. However, the concept of individual place settings like we have today, only really took root in the 19th century. Interestingly, the advent of such dining norms also reduced the spreading of diseases, improving the health scenario significantly!