(Canada, US) A large spoon, used for eating food from a bowl.
(Australia, New Zealand, Northern UK) A spoon too large for eating, usually used for cooking or serving.
(cooking) A unit of volume, the value of which varies regionally; in the US: three teaspoons or one half fluid ounce or roughly 15 ml; in Britain and Canada: exactly 15 ml; in Russia 18 ml; in Australia: four teaspoons or 20 ml.
1995 May 22, Salad Recipes, New York, page 51,
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a nonstick skillet until hot and quickly saute the goat-cheese buttons on both sides until brown.
2006, Tempted: 150 Very Wicked Desserts, Murdoch Books, UK, copyright page,
If you are using a 15 ml (3 teaspoon) tablespoon, for most recipes the difference will not be noticeable.
2012, James Armstrong, Kellee Hollyman, General, Organic, and Biochemistry: An Applied Approach, Cengage Learning, US, page 27,
The problem gives us a number of tablespoons of cooking oil and asks us to convert this amount into milliliters. We are also told that one tablespoon equals 3 teaspoons, but this is a relationship between two units, not an actual measurement.