panini

noun

pa·​ni·​ni pə-ˈnē-nē 

variants or less commonly panino

pə-ˈnē-nō 

plural panini or paninis

: a usually grilled sandwich made with Italian bread

Note: Panini is a plural form in Italian but is commonly used as both a singular and a plural in English. Its use as a singular has given rise the variant plural form paninis. The use of panino as a singular form in English has become relatively uncommon as panini has become established as the usual singular.

On each visit, someone at our table invariably orders a panini …

—Jodi Wright

At the back of the shop are paninis, freshly brewed coffee and two tubs of homemade soups.

—M. H. Reed

Examples of panini in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Snack on a porchetta panini in the wrong place at the wrong time and risk a ticket, according to Debra Levinson, founder and owner of Mr. & Mrs. Italy, a tour operator. —The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2025

But a prosciutto panini from Stasio’s Italian Deli isn’t a disappointment either. —Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 5 Mar. 2025

Dig in: In addition to traditional Turkish coffee, the menu has a list of frappuccinos and refreshers, plus paninis, pastries, desserts, salads and fruit salads. —Alexis Clinton, Axios, 19 Feb. 2025

Zoom in: The menu is massive and runs the gamut of traditional breakfast, brunch and lunch items like omelettes, eggs Benedicts, burgers, wraps and even Italian paninis. —Jeremy Duda, Axios, 1 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Italian, diminutive of pane bread, from Latin panis — more at food

First Known Use

1955, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for panini

• abc
• absentee
• addressee
• adoptee
• agouti
• allottee
• amphorae
• amputee
• apc
• apogee
• appointee
• assessee