linguine

noun

lin·​gui·​ne liŋ-ˈgwē-nē How to pronounce linguine (audio)
variants or linguini
: narrow flat pasta

Did you know?

The modern language closest to Latin is Italian, and the Italian word linguine means literally "little tongues". Linguine is only one of the types of pasta whose names describes their shapes. Others include spaghetti ("little strings"), fettuccine ("little ribbons"), penne ("little quills"), orzo ("barley"), farfalle ("butterflies"), vermicelli ("little worms"), capellini ("little hairs"), fusilli ("little spindles"), and radiatori ("little radiators"). If you're thinking about learning Italian, you could make a good start by just visiting an Italian restaurant.

Examples of linguine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The menu highlighted all of Saint Theo’s signature recipes, like the chicory salad, lemon linguine, spicy cherry tomato spaghetti, branzino, and dark chocolate budinos, an Italian delicacy, for dessert. Eliseé Browchuk, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2023 The spaghetti cutter made eight high-quality pasta nests, the linguine made 10 high-quality nests, and the penne made a total of 1.5 pounds of high-quality pasta. Michelle Love, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Sep. 2023 Primi encompasses pasta dishes like linguine with squid ink, mixed seafood, Calabrian chili paste, and breadcrumbs, and a risotto made with acquerello rice, lobster, shrimp, and calamari. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 17 Aug. 2023 Lighter in all ways is a turban of linguine slicked with pesto and mixed with spinach, crushed walnuts and toasted breadcrumbs. Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 14 Apr. 2023 Despite the abundance, there are about a dozen that dominate our plates, including spaghetti, linguine, fettucine, penne, rigatoni, rotini, farfalle, and lasagna. Lisa Zwirn, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Apr. 2023 The shape of the die corresponds to the final shape of the pasta: spaghetti or linguine, rigatoni or penne, radiatori or rotelle. Daniela Galarza, Washington Post, 14 Apr. 2023 Seafood linguine features generous shrimp, mussels, baby squid and clams in a rich tomato sauce, while paella is a great rendition of the Spanish classic. Chris Dwyer, CNN, 24 Mar. 2023 Chef Tim Love’s Fort Worth Italian spot, known for its no-cellphone policy, is serving oysters from Prince Edward Island, fresh linguine with uni butter and osetra caviar, Colorado lamb chops and strawberry millefoglie with chocolate and hazelnut. Dallas News, 2 Feb. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'linguine.' 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, plural of linguina, diminutive of lingua tongue, from Latin

First Known Use

circa 1948, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of linguine was circa 1948

Dictionary Entries Near linguine

Cite this Entry

“Linguine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/linguine. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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