English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology

noun

pastille

PAS-til

Quiz me More like this

Pastille (noun) means a small, round, flat sweet with a fruit or other flavour. Example: “He offered round a tin of fruit pastilles after lunch.”

noun

1

A small, round, flat sweet with a fruit or other flavour.

"He offered round a tin of fruit pastilles after lunch."

"The pastilles had gone slightly sticky in the warm car."

"She keeps a packet of blackcurrant pastilles in her bag."

2

A medicated lozenge that is sucked to soothe a sore throat or ease a blocked nose.

"He sucked a menthol pastille to settle his cough."

"The chemist recommended throat pastilles for her sore throat."

"She keeps a box of pastilles by the bed when she has a cold."

How to use pastille

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA small round sweet, or a lozenge you suck for a sore throat.

When to use it

It's an everyday word, equally at home describing sweets or throat lozenges.

Memory tip

Don't confuse it with pastel, the crayon or soft colour, which is spelled and pronounced differently despite the shared history.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

pastel →

Common pairings

fruit pastille throat pastille a tin of pastilles suck a pastille

Vocabulary Flow

Build your vocabulary from words like pastille.

Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.

Start vocabulary practice

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Test yourself on “pastille” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

He offered round a tin of fruit _____ after lunch.

Etymology

The word passed into English partly from Old French pastel and partly from French pastille and Spanish pastilla, all tracing back to Latin pastillus, meaning a small bread roll or a lozenge used to freshen the breath.

Origin: French

Synonyms

cough drop troche pastil

Rhymes for pastille

ville Lille Seville Braille Camille Lucille Orville Deville DeMille Bastille Melville reveille

See all rhymes for pastille →

Frequently asked questions

What does pastille mean?

A pastille is a small, round, flat sweet, or a medicated lozenge sucked to soothe a sore throat.

Is a pastille the same as a cough drop?

When used medicinally, pastille is a synonym for cough drop, both meaning a lozenge sucked to ease a sore throat.

Where does the word pastille come from?

It comes via Old French and French, ultimately from the Latin word pastillus for a small lozenge or bread roll.

What is the meaning of pastille?

"pastille" (noun) means a small, round, flat sweet with a fruit or other flavour.