noun
pesto
PEHS-toh
Pesto (noun) means an Italian sauce made from crushed basil, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, and cheese. Example: “She tossed the pasta with fresh pesto and cherry tomatoes.”
noun
1
An Italian sauce made from crushed basil, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, and cheese.
"Inside the house, Paul is in the kitchen bent over a bowl of pesto: thick shiny basil leaves, machete-crushed garlic cloves, pine nuts, onions roasted till their gold edges blacken, and the bright scent of lemon zest."
— Ocean Vuong, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous (2019)
"She tossed the pasta with fresh pesto and cherry tomatoes."
How to use pesto
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA green sauce traditionally made from basil, garlic, pine nuts, oil, and cheese.
Common pairings
basil pesto
pesto pasta
a jar of pesto
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Word forms
- Plural
- pestos
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She tossed the pasta with fresh _____ and cherry tomatoes.
Etymology
From Italian pesto, from Latin pistus ("crushed, pounded") — the same root as "pestle," reflecting how the ingredients are traditionally ground together.
Rhymes for pesto
See all rhymes for pesto →Frequently asked questions
What does “pesto” mean?
The word “pesto” means an Italian sauce made from crushed basil, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, and cheese. In plain terms, a green sauce traditionally made from basil, garlic, pine nuts, oil, and cheese.
How do you pronounce “pesto”?
“Pesto” is pronounced PEHS-toh (/ˈpɛstoʊ/ in IPA).
How do you use “pesto” in a sentence?
Here is “pesto” used in a sentence: “She tossed the pasta with fresh pesto and cherry tomatoes.”
What part of speech is “pesto”?
“Pesto” is a noun.
Where does the word “pesto” come from?
The word “pesto” comes from Latin. From Italian pesto, from Latin pistus ("crushed, pounded") — the same root as "pestle," reflecting how the ingredients are traditionally ground together.
