piccata

noun

pic·​ca·​ta

pə̇ˈkätə,

-ätə

plural piccatas

: thin slices of meat (such as veal) that are dredged in flour, sautéed, and served in a lemon and butter sauce

Examples of piccata in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Handmade pappardelle with veal ragù, pancetta and sheep’s milk ricotta; Neapolitan pepperoni pizza with vodka sauce, ricotta salata and honey; and vitello piccata with capers, lemon and spinach are three must-try dishes on the menu. —Melinda Sheckells, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025

Classic chicken piccata is made with thinly pounded boneless, skinless chicken breasts that are lightly floured and pan-fried until golden. —Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Sep. 2025

Café La Scala is typically open for lunch and dinner, serving soups, salads, pizza and classic Italian entrees like chicken piccata and spaghetti and meatballs. —Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 29 Aug. 2025

Decades-old recipes for authentic Italian cuisine like lasagna with meatballs, veal piccata, and eggplant parmigiano make this a neighborhood favorite. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 20 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Italian, slice of sautéed veal flavored with lemon and parsley, from piccata, feminine of piccato, past participle of piccare to lard (meat), probably from French piquer, literally, to prick

First Known Use

1949, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for piccata

• agata
• bharata
• cantata
• costata
• ephrata
• errata
• falcata
• mahratta
• regatta
• serrata
• sonata
• stigmata