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
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
Italian, plural of linguina, diminutive of lingua tongue, from Latin
circa 1948, in the meaning defined above
Articles Related to linguine
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.
Copy Citation
Share