pasta

/ˈpɑːstə/
nounBeginner
informal

A type of Italian food made from unleavened dough of a durum wheat flour mixed with water, and sometimes eggs, and formed into sheets or other shapes, then cooked by boiling or baking.

She cooked spaghetti pasta for dinner.

They served penne pasta with a creamy sauce.

💡

The term 'pasta' is often used interchangeably with specific shapes like spaghetti, penne, or macaroni.

Collocations

cook pastato prepare pasta by boilingal dente pastapasta cooked to be firm to the bitepasta disha meal featuring pasta as the main ingredient

Synonyms

Related Phrases

pasta al dentephrase
pasta cooked to be firm to the bite
pasta saladphrase
a dish made with cold pasta and various ingredients

💡Pro Tip

Cooking Pasta

Pasta is typically boiled in salted water until it reaches the desired tenderness, often referred to as 'al dente,' which means firm to the bite.

Gold Rule

Usage

In English, 'pasta' can be used in both singular and plural forms, though the plural form is more common when referring to multiple servings or types.

📖Word Origin

From Italian 'pasta,' meaning 'dough, paste,' derived from Latin 'pasta,' meaning 'dough, pastry.'

📝Usage Notes

In English, 'pasta' can refer to the general category of Italian dough-based dishes or specific shapes like spaghetti or penne. It is often used in both singular and plural forms interchangeably.

Word Breakdown

past
dough, paste
root
+
-a
a suffix indicating a noun
suffix
English Dictionary