pancetta

noun

pan·​cet·​ta (ˌ)pan-ˈche-tə How to pronounce pancetta (audio)
: unsmoked bacon used especially in Italian cuisine

Examples of pancetta in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Bologna’s tagliatelle al ragù calls for minced beef and pancetta, a base of carrots, celery and onion, plus tomatoes, red wine, milk and broth. Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 12 May 2026 This dish uses three cheeses—ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan—along with a flavorful, homemade tomato sauce with ground sausage and pancetta. Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 8 May 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 See All Example Sentences for pancetta

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pancetta was in 1841

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pancetta.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pancetta. Accessed 15 May. 2026.

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