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Definition of guanciale

guanciale

/ɡwɑːnˈtʃɑːleɪ/
guan · cia · le
Plural:guanciales
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guanciale Lexical Profile

guanciale Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

An unsmoked Italian cured meat prepared from pork jowl or cheeks, traditionally seasoned with salt, pepper, and sometimes garlic or herbs.

Example

"For an authentic spaghetti alla carbonara, you must render the fat from crispy guanciale rather than using standard breakfast bacon."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for guanciale

Word Nuance & Usage

While often confused with or substituted by pancetta or bacon, guanciale is specifically made from pork jowl rather than pork belly, giving it a distinctively richer flavor and higher fat-to-meat ratio essential for traditional Roman pasta dishes.

• Rhymes for guanciale

• Nearby Words

guan
guanabana
guanaco
guanciale
guangzhou
guapore
guaporé

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Italian 'guanciale' (pillow or cheek-meat), derived from 'guancia' meaning 'cheek', which ultimately comes from the Germanic/Frankish word 'wankja'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Guanciale. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 17, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/guanciale
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