pesto

noun

pes·​to ˈpe-(ˌ)stō 

: a sauce made especially of fresh basil, garlic, oil, pine nuts, and grated cheese

Examples of pesto in a Sentence

Top the bread with pesto.

Recent Examples on the Web

Bell pepper, zucchini, yellow squash, and fresh tomato make up the bulk of the soup, with bright basil pesto adding an herbaceous finish. — Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 25 July 2026

Lynn Horton ordered a caprese panini, pressed to be extra crunchy, with extra pesto, her husband enjoyed an eggplant caprese. — Sarah Kyrcz, Hartford Courant, 25 July 2026

Everyone needs a good pesto recipe, and this version—silky, aromatic, and perfectly balanced—is our favorite. — Martha Stewart, 25 July 2026

Dishes included a Brazilian kimchi toast, a Swiss chard pancake with pesto, tamarind tortellini in double cream and Angostura, and a peanut tiramisu served with artichoke coffee. — Lanee Lee, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Italian, from pesto, adjective, pounded, from pestare to pound, from Late Latin pistare, frequentative of Latin pinsere

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

pesto

noun

pes·​to ˈpes-tō 

: a sauce made especially of fresh basil, garlic, oil, pine nuts, and grated cheese