What does pasta mean?
Pasta is an Italian food made from dough, traditionally consisting primarily of flour and water, and shaped into strands, tubes, ribbons, or other forms. It may be boiled, baked, fried, or filled, and is commonly served with sauce, cheese, vegetables, meat, or seafood. The word is widely used in British and American English and is normally treated as a singular mass noun: one speaks of “pasta” rather than “a pasta.” It can also describe the uncooked dough itself, particularly when discussing Italian cooking. Although English generally uses “pasta” as a singular noun, it comes from the Italian word for “paste” or “dough,” whose original plural form has become the standard English name for the food. The term is useful because it distinguishes a broad family of flour-based shapes and preparations from noodles made from other grains or starches.
nounAn unleavened food made from flour and water, shaped into various forms and usually cooked in boiling water. In Italian, pasta also refers broadly to dough or paste made from flour.
- A food made from flour and water, shaped into strands, tubes, ribbons, or other forms and boiled or otherwise cooked.
- In Italian culinary usage, a mixture of flour and water that can be shaped and cooked in various ways.
"She served pasta with fresh tomatoes, basil, and grated cheese."
"The restaurant offers several kinds of pasta, including rigatoni and linguine."
"In the Italian kitchen, fresh pasta is made by hand from just flour and eggs."
The standard plural is usually “pasta,” treated as a mass noun. “Pastas” is also possible but is less common.
"The menu offers several pastas for lunch."
Although English treats pasta as a singular noun, it began as the Italian plural of pasta, meaning “paste” or “dough.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pasta come from?
English borrowed the word from Italian, in which pasta originally meant “paste” or “dough” and was used in a plural sense for pieces or strands of dough. The Italian word comes from Latin pasta, meaning “paste” or “dough,” and English “paste” is a cognate through the same Latin source. The food became closely associated with Italian cuisine, and the Italian plural form eventually became established in English as the usual singular noun.
Related word forms
How pasta is actually used
The word is commonly used in both British and American English. When referring to the food as a whole, “pasta” is usually treated as singular; “pastas” is possible but much less common. “Pasta” is more specific than the general term “noodles,” since some noodle dishes are wheat-based or made with other ingredients.
Easily confused with pasta
Pasta is a food made from flour and water, whereas paste is a more general term for a soft, thick substance used for sticking or spreading.