pesto

noun

pes·​to ˈpe-(ˌ)stō How to pronounce pesto (audio)
: a sauce made especially of fresh basil, garlic, oil, pine nuts, and grated cheese

Examples of pesto in a Sentence

Top the bread with pesto.
Recent Examples on the Web That deep, complex, savoriness anchors this mouthwatering pesto. Ellie Krieger, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 Some ideas include smoothies, stir fries, soups, pesto, omelettes and wraps. Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The chicken is juicy, the pesto and cheddar jack toasted bread are savory and there’s a perfect taste and crunch with lettuce, tomato and béchamel sauce inside the sandwich. Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Feb. 2024 Ladle the soup into mugs or bowls; top with a dollop of pesto, Parmesan cheese and serve with slices of crusty bread, if desired. Bridgette A. Lacy, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 Diners can customize their own Italian pizzas by choosing a crust (thin or square), sauce (red, garlic marinara or pesto) and toppings. John Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 29 Jan. 2024 The restaurant's most popular dishes are pesto salmon and seafood chitarra, according to the site. Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 13 Feb. 2024 Some of the menu items are a curry chicken bowl with quinoa and roasted root vegetables, and a cashew pesto chicken and grains bowl, each priced in the $16-$17 range. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Feb. 2024 What to order: pesto Brie fries ($8/small: $13/large) Le’s Sandwiches & Cafe 4520 N. Tryon St. #41 Fast Casual $ Sandwiches/Vietnamese Deep inside the Asian Corner Mall sits Le’s Sandwiches & Cafe. Ben Jarrell, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pesto.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Italian, from pesto, adjective, pounded, from pestare to pound, from Late Latin pistare, frequentative of Latin pinsere

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pesto was in 1937

Dictionary Entries Near pesto

Cite this Entry

“Pesto.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pesto. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pesto

noun
pes·​to ˈpes-tō How to pronounce pesto (audio)
: a sauce made especially of fresh basil, garlic, oil, pine nuts, and grated cheese

More from Merriam-Webster on pesto

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