pasta
English meaning: Pasta
Definition
Pasta is an Italian food made from flour and water, shaped and boiled, like spaghetti.
Example
“He boiled the pasta for ten minutes, then tossed it with a rich tomato sauce.”
Another example: “They ordered a large bowl of pasta to share.”
Usage — When, Where & How
Neutral, everyday noun, borrowed from Italian, for the wheat-based food; usually uncountable. Common in cooking and dining contexts. Used in both US and UK English.
Etymology & Origin
English — Origin & History
From Italian 'pasta' (dough, paste), from Late Latin 'pasta' (dough).
Synonyms
- noodles
- alimentary paste
Related Words
- linguine
- tagliatelle
- tortellini
- fettuccine
- rigatoni
- fusilli
- lasagne
- durum
- ravioli
- semolina
- gnocchi
- penne
Common Collocations
- fresh pasta
- dried pasta
- pasta sauce
- bowl of pasta
- cook the pasta
- pasta dish
Word Forms
pasta (n); pastas (pl)
Word Tools
Literary Heritage
“To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”
/To thine own self be true/
“Be honest with yourself — and as naturally as night follows day, you will be unable to be false to others.”
“I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too?”
/I'm nobody! Who are you?/
“I am nobody — and that quiet anonymity is more honest than the noise of public fame.”
Images
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Language information
- Language
- English
- English
- Script
- Latin
- Family
- Indo-European
- Speakers
- 1.5B