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

The standout was a risotto with squash, vegan pesto, and Parmesan—I'd be impressed to have a vegan dish as delicious in a restaurant. —Molly Higgins, Wired News, 29 May 2025

Kirkland Signature Organic Pine Nuts Cooking up some pesto? —Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 14 May 2025

The orange hardcover book, which celebrates Made in Italy craftsmanship, was displayed throughout the store, where guests could flip through pages of photos depicting artisans working with glass, terracotta, brass and bronze, and pesto. —Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 21 May 2025

There are more than half-a-dozen on the menu, and the very good chicken turns excellent when dunked in a tomatillo vinaigrette, say, or a three-herb pesto or potent fish-sauce aioli. —John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 13 May 2025

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