spaghetti

noun

spa·​ghet·​ti spə-ˈge-tē How to pronounce spaghetti (audio)
1
: pasta made in thin solid strings
2
: insulating tubing typically of varnished cloth or of plastic for covering bare wire or holding insulated wires together
spaghettilike adjective

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web And the finale, two lobsters — brown and spikier than their US relativesbut much sweeter, more like crab — split in half and over what must be a pound of spaghetti. Helene Stapinski, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Mar. 2023 Keep an eye out for the spaghettini fritti — a Maniscalco childhood favorite of spaghetti fried with cheese, sauce and meatballs. Mrussell, oregonlive, 10 Mar. 2023 What’s the difference between a boring piece of chicken and a delicious one; a plain bowl of spaghetti and the perfect simple weeknight meal; or sad, dry toast and a fancy little treat? Hannah Dylan Pasternak, SELF, 24 Feb. 2023 For the trial, scientists implanted electrodes along the surface of the spinal cord that look like strands of spaghetti. Jen Christensen, CNN, 20 Feb. 2023 Restaurant Kinsley Evan Sung After a full day of hiking, antiquing, and waterfall crawling, cozy up at Kinsley with a beer from the local brewery and a heaping bowl of housemade spaghetti with crab, crème fraiche, togarashi, and breadcrumbs. ELLE, 17 Feb. 2023 In Kisangani, a similar size package of wheat spaghetti sells for up to 30,000 francs ($14.77). Quartz, 13 Feb. 2023 Philosophically, not unlike gently twirling a small portion of spaghetti with the tip of a fork against your plate (and without the clumsy spoon) until a manageable wad is created. Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 24 Jan. 2023 After the procedure, she’s led to a room filled with bustling women volunteers—including a nun—who urge her to sit down and eat a bowl of spaghetti. Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 27 Oct. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'spaghetti.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Italian, from plural of spaghetto, diminutive of spago cord, string, from Late Latin spacus

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spaghetti was in 1874

Dictionary Entries Near spaghetti

Cite this Entry

“Spaghetti.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spaghetti. Accessed 23 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

spaghetti

noun
spa·​ghet·​ti spə-ˈget-ē How to pronounce spaghetti (audio)
: a food made chiefly of a mixture of flour and water dried in the form of thin solid strings
Etymology

from Italian spaghetti "pasta made in long strings," from spaghetti, plural of spaghetto "little string," from spago "string"

More from Merriam-Webster on spaghetti

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!


Challenging Standardized Test Words, Vol. 2

  • a pencil broken in half on top of a test answer sheet
  • The business’s new computer system proved not to be a panacea.
Spell It

Hear a word and type it out. How many can you get right?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY