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Definition of polenta

polenta

/poʊˈlɛn.tə/
po · len · ta
Plural:polentas
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polenta Lexical Profile

polenta Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A traditional Italian dish consisting of boiled cornmeal, served hot as a thick porridge or cooled and sliced to be baked, fried, or grilled.

Example

"The chef served the braised short ribs over a bed of creamy creamy polenta."

2

The coarsely ground yellow or white cornmeal used as the primary ingredient to make the traditional Italian dish.

Example

"You will need a cup of coarse polenta and four cups of chicken broth to prepare this recipe properly."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for polenta

• Rhymes for polenta

• Nearby Words

pole
polecat
polemonium
polenta
polianthes
pollan
polliwog

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Italian 'polenta', from Latin 'polenta' meaning 'pearl barley' or 'barley groats', which is related to 'pollen' (fine flour or dust).

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Polenta. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 19, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/polenta
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