pasta

noun

pas·​ta ˈpä-stə 

also

ˈpa- 

1

: paste in processed form (such as macaroni) or in the form of fresh dough (such as ravioli)

2

: a dish of cooked pasta

Examples of pasta in a Sentence

They ordered pasta with meat sauce.

Breads and pastas are high in carbohydrates.

Recent Examples on the Web

His social media features posts of Austin at a Lakers game with his younger brother Jac, attending the wedding of his college friends, eating pasta in Italy and sharing throwback photos with his dad. —Nasha Smith, PEOPLE, 14 Sep. 2025

Koshari, a local staple made with pasta, rice, and chickpeas, comes reimagined as a salad, while jammy eggs wrapped in falafel dough are reminiscent of Scotch eggs. —Chris Schalkx, Travel + Leisure, 14 Sep. 2025

Another pasta, striped like a candy cane, is filled with chicken from a farm at the city’s edge and strewn with local lemon balm, shiso, and cilantro. —The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 Sep. 2025

The food on offer includes housemade bread, pasta like paccheri with wild boar and buckwheat chitarra, and swordfish and bistecca alla Fiorentina from the grill. —Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 12 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Italian, from Late Latin

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing pasta

• angel-hair pasta
• pasta cooker

Rhymes for pasta

• jocasta

Kids Definition

pasta

noun

pas·​ta ˈpäs-tə 

1

: a dough of flour, eggs, and water made in different shapes and dried (as spaghetti or macaroni) or used fresh (as ravioli)

2

: a dish of cooked pasta