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

Pastasciutta at Zimmi’s Chicken has never been one of the world’s optimal pasta meats, having been thoroughly eclipsed by more flavorful, more versatile options like beef and pork. —Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 14 Dec. 2025

From savory starters, like party-ready dips and one-bite delights, to crowd-friendly mains, like pot roasts and extra-special pasta dishes, these New Year’s recipes are primed to send out the old and usher in the new. —Kelly Vaughan, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Dec. 2025

Since 2019, it's been serving some of the best steaks, pastas and shrimp scampi in town. —Amanda Hancock, Louisville Courier Journal, 12 Dec. 2025

And classic tomato sauce, the kind that’s served with chicken Parmesan and over fresh pasta, is a signature of Sugo Italian Steakhouse, which opened in September 2024 in the Hotel Ballast in downtown Wilmington. —Liz Schubauer, Nashville Tennessean, 12 Dec. 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