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Definition of pasta

pasta

/ˈpɑːstə/
pas · ta

Plural:pastas
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pasta Lexical Profile

pasta Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A staple food of traditional Italian cuisine, consisting of dough made from durum wheat flour and water or eggs, which is formed into various shapes and usually boiled.

Example

"We learned how to make fresh pasta from scratch during our cooking class in Florence."


2

A prepared dish consisting primarily of cooked pasta, typically served with a sauce, meat, or vegetables.

Example

"The restaurant is famous for its rich seafood pasta."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for pasta

Word Nuance & Usage

While often used interchangeably with 'noodles' in general parlance, pasta specifically refers to traditional Italian dough made from durum wheat, whereas noodles can encompass a wider variety of Asian or egg-based doughs.

• Rhymes for pasta

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Italian 'pasta' (dough, paste), from Late Latin 'pasta', which traces back to Ancient Greek 'pastá' (barley porridge).

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Pasta. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 15, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/pasta
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