wooden spoon

A spoon made from wood, commonly used in food preparation.

(idiomatic) An ironic prize for finishing last in a competition.

(Cambridge University slang, dated) The last junior optime who takes a university degree.

(US, university slang, dated) The lowest appointee of the junior year; sometimes, one especially popular in his class, without reference to scholarship. Formerly, it was a custom for classmates to present to this person a wooden spoon with formal ceremonies.