pancetta

noun

pan·​cet·​ta (ˌ)pan-ˈche-tə 

: unsmoked bacon used especially in Italian cuisine

Examples of pancetta in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Finish with shredded cheese, crispy bacon, diced ham, shredded chicken, or crispy pancetta to bulk it up to a main course. —Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 22 Feb. 2026

The menu leans into farm-to-table freshness: lemon and rosemary roasted chicken with foraged mushrooms, sunburst squash, arugula, and pancetta; California halibut paired with sweet yellow corn, baby fennel, and fingerling potatoes. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026

And the pastas deliver, whether trofie, tiny twists of fresh pasta, with a vibrant green pesto or farfallone, essentially bowties on steroids, in a Calabrian chile butter with bits of smoky pancetta. —Andrea Strong, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Feb. 2026

Rutabaga joins the usual suspects of pork (bacon, pancetta, or guanciale), split peas, and broth. —Holly Riordan, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Italian, from diminutive of pancia belly, paunch, from Latin pantic-, pantex

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for pancetta

• beretta
• vendetta
• betta
• keta
• setae
• henrietta
• operetta
• typothetae
• periplaneta