arancini

plural noun

aran·​ci·​ni ˌä-rän-ˈchē-nē 

: rounded balls of cooked rice with savory fillings (such as mozzarella cheese) that are coated with bread crumbs and deep-fried

The lobster arancini and pureed potato croquettes captured his attention, and the pork and beef meatballs were worthy of a "best of" medal in Schaffer's eyes.

—Dana Hatic

Examples of arancini in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In place of crab cakes, Stockton has crafted crispy arancini stuffed with blue crab meat and garlic confit for a gooey burst of flavor, and loaded potatoes are translated into creamy mashed potatoes topped with a sweet bacon jam and tangy sour cream. —Usa Today Network, USA Today, 19 Dec. 2025

In place of crab cakes, Stockton has crafted crispy arancini stuffed with blue crab meat and garlic confit for a gooey burst of flavor, and loaded potatoes are translated into creamy mashed potatoes topped with a sweet bacon jam and tangy sour cream. —Amanda Hancock, Louisville Courier Journal, 12 Dec. 2025

Its debut menu is an ode to Taiwanese pop culture and food, with inventive fusions like arancini made of sticky rice, panna cotta topped with oolong boba, and Liu’s favorite, an oyster omelette frittata. —Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 5 Dec. 2025

Guests can expect chicken, pasta and seafood dishes, plus some new dishes including rice balls (arancini). —Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 13 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Italian, plural of arancino, literally, "little orange," from arancio "orange" (borrowed from Arabic nāranj, with misdivision of the Italian article un) + -ino, diminutive suffix (going back to Latin -īnus, suffix of appurtenance) — more at orange entry 1, -ine entry 1

First Known Use

1948, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for arancini

• antonine
• aubergine
• celestine
• cytosine
• emetine
• infantine
• johannine
• kerosine
• kundalini
• nepheline
• phenelzine
• proserpine