spaghetti
spuh-GEH-tee
Spaghetti (noun) means Long, thin strands of pasta, or a dish made from them. Example: “She boiled a pot of spaghetti for dinner.”
noun
1
Long, thin strands of pasta, or a dish made from them.
"She boiled a pot of spaghetti for dinner."
"He twirled the spaghetti around his fork."
"Spaghetti with tomato sauce is her favourite quick midweek meal."
verb
1
To become tangled or stretched out like strands of spaghetti (informal).
"The cables behind the desk had spaghettied into an impossible knot."
"The headphone wires spaghettied inside my bag again overnight."
"The old telephone cord had spaghettied across the whole desk."
How to use spaghetti
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishLong thin pasta strands — the classic dish is "spaghetti and meatballs."
Common pairings
spaghetti sauce
plate of spaghetti
spaghetti junction
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- spaghettis
- Past tense
- spaghettied
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She boiled a pot of _____ for dinner.
Etymology
From Italian spaghetti, the plural of spaghetto ("a strand of spaghetti"), from spago ("string, twine").
Synonyms
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Rhymes for spaghetti
See all rhymes for spaghetti →Frequently asked questions
What does “spaghetti” mean?
The word “spaghetti” means long, thin strands of pasta, or a dish made from them. In plain terms, long thin pasta strands — the classic dish is "spaghetti and meatballs.".
How do you pronounce “spaghetti”?
“Spaghetti” is pronounced spuh-GEH-tee (/spəˈɡɛti/ in IPA).
How do you use “spaghetti” in a sentence?
Here is “spaghetti” used in a sentence: “She boiled a pot of spaghetti for dinner.”
What part of speech is “spaghetti”?
Depending on how it is used, “spaghetti” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “spaghetti” come from?
The word “spaghetti” comes from Italian. From Italian spaghetti, the plural of spaghetto ("a strand of spaghetti"), from spago ("string, twine").
Is “spaghetti” a common word?
“Spaghetti” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “spaghetti” have?
“Spaghetti” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: long, thin strands of pasta, or a dish made from them.
What is the difference between spaghetti and other pasta shapes like linguine or fettuccine?
Spaghetti consists of long, thin, round strands, while linguine is flatter and fettuccine is wider and ribbon-like. The shape affects how each pasta holds sauce, with spaghetti suiting thinner, oil- or tomato-based sauces.
Can "spaghetti" be used as a verb?
Informally, yes: "to spaghetti" can describe becoming tangled or stretched out like strands of spaghetti, though this verb usage is far less common than the noun.
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