linguine

noun

lin·​gui·​ne liŋ-ˈgwē-nē 

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

Why do spaghetti, linguine, and penne get to have all the fun? —Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 7 Jan. 2026

Pasta dishes featured linguine with seafood, tagliatelle, gnocchi, or agnolotti filled with braised short ribs. —Emily M. Olson, Hartford Courant, 1 Jan. 2026

The linguine with tenerumi (a local vegetable), candied lemon, and Sciacca prawn tartare is a standout. —Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 27 Dec. 2025

The sauce bubbled at a lower temperature before Ginci added linguine to the mix. —Kansas City Star, 10 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Italian, plural of linguina, diminutive of lingua tongue, from Latin

First Known Use

circa 1948, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for linguine

• beanie
• genie
• sweeney
• sweeny
• teeny
• acini
• aldine
• arsine
• carinii
• cosine
• delphine
• domine