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

Bursting with 101 recipes for everything from spicy butter masala pasta to dirty chai espresso martinis, the cookbook rejoices in the culinary possibilities that arise with blending cultures. — Emma Specter, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2026

Our sunny afternoon lunch featured fresh seafood and bright, flavorful pasta, paired with a crisp white wine from the hotel’s winery and a late-summer breeze shaking the trees overhead. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026

Squash and sausage are a heroic autumnal pairing, especially in a weeknight-friendly pasta. — Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Oct. 2026

Back in the main hotel building, Il Faro Trattoria has sweeping sea views from its terrace and serves Italian classics including pizza and pasta. — Siobhan Grogan, TheWeek, 12 Oct. 2026

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