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Definition of pistou

pistou

/piːsˈtuː/
pis · tou
Plural:pistous
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pistou Lexical Profile

pistou Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A traditional Provençal cold sauce made from crushed garlic, fresh basil, and olive oil, often used as a condiment or stirred into soups.

Example

"The chef stirred a generous dollop of vibrant green pistou into the summer vegetable soup just before serving."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for pistou

Word Nuance & Usage

Frequently compared to or confused with the Italian sauce pesto, but traditional French pistou typically lacks pine nuts and sometimes omits cheese.

• Rhymes for pistou

• Nearby Words

pistil
pistol
piston
pistou
pistyll rhaeadr
pit
pit viper

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Provençal Occitan 'pistou', meaning 'pounded', ultimately from Latin 'pistus', the past participle of 'pinsere' (to pound or crush).

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Pistou. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 6, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/pistou
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