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Definition of penne
penne
/ˈpɛn.eɪ/
pen · ne
Plural:penne
penne Lexical Profile
CEFR
B1
Grade
4
Tier
2
Usage
Top 10k
Syllables
2
penne Game Scores & Validity
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WWF
Wordle Guess
• noun
1
A type of pasta extruded into the shape of short, thick tubes with diagonally cut ends.
Example
"We ordered a large bowl of penne coated in a rich, spicy arrabbiata sauce."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for penne• Rhymes for penne
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Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Italian 'penne', the plural of 'penna' (meaning 'feather' or 'quill'), derived from Latin 'penna'. The pasta is named for its diagonally cut ends, which resemble the tip of a quill pen.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Penne. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/penne