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

Some of the city’s best restaurants and bars are both uptown and walkable, including breakfast juggernaut Cheeky’s and its adjacent pizza-pasta-patio hotspot Birba, farm-to-table fave Workshop, and cool cocktail den Tailor Shop. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Feb. 2026

Swapping a portion of the milk called for with pasta water helps the powdered cheese emulsify more smoothly and cling better to the noodles. —Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2026

Steamed green beans make a great addition to bright green salads or pasta salads when cut into smaller pieces. —Riley Wofford, Martha Stewart, 21 Feb. 2026

For example, tariffs threatened export deals with Italian pasta makers. —Diamond Vences, Charlotte Observer, 20 Feb. 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