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• bologna
  bologna

  noun

  a large seasoned sausage made of finely ground meat, usually beef and pork, that has been cooked and smoked.
• Bologna
  Bologna

  noun

  Giovanni da Jean de BoulogneGiambologna, c1525–1608, Italian sculptor, born in France.

bologna

¹ American  

[buh-loh-nee, -nuh, -lohn-yuh] / bəˈloʊ ni, -nə, -ˈloʊn yə /

noun

1. a large seasoned sausage made of finely ground meat, usually beef and pork, that has been cooked and smoked.

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Bologna ² American  

[buh-lohn-yuh, baw-law-nyah] / bəˈloʊn yə, bɔˈlɔ nyɑ /

noun

1. Giovanni da Jean de BoulogneGiambologna, c1525–1608, Italian sculptor, born in France.

2. a city in N Italy.

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Bologna ¹ British  

/ boˈloɲɲa, bəˈləʊnjə /

noun

1. Ancient name: Bononia.  a city in N Italy, at the foot of the Apennines: became a free city in the Middle Ages; university (1088). Pop: 371 217 (2001)

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Bologna ² British  

/ boˈloɲɲa, bəˈləʊnjə /

noun

1. See Giambologna

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Etymology

Origin of bologna

1555–65; after Bologna, Italy

Explanation

Bologna is a sliced sausage often used as lunch meat. If there's "mystery meat" on the menu at school, you'll probably be glad you packed a bologna sandwich. Bologna evolved from mortadella, a pork sausage invented in Bologna, Italy. While bologna is pork-based, it can contain beef, chicken, turkey, or even soy protein. This pale, salty lunch meat is mild in flavor and a favorite with kids who find salami a bit too spicy. The correct pronunciation is "bo-LO-nya," but it's common to say "ba-LO-nee" instead. Experts attribute this to Anglicization, which often leaves Italian words with Y endings — like Italia becoming Italy.

Example Sentences

Meanwhile, Italy's red alert in Rome - as well as in Florence, Bologna, Brescia and Turin - is the first of the year, warning of "possible negative effects on the health of healthy, active people".

From BBC • May 28, 2026

“However, I think there has been a structural break in the relationship because trust has been broken,” said Tocci, now a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Bologna.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

"Our study is a reminder that the oldest chronologies must be treated with great caution," explains Sahra Talamo, professor at the University of Bologna and co-coordinator of the study.

From Science Daily • Apr. 22, 2026

And while Kennedy got out in time, his bootblack-adviser, Gennaro Pasquale “Patrick” Bologna, lost everything—except his shoeshine stand.

From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026

Bologna turned out to be the most rewarding event in Captain Black’s life since the day Major Duluth was killed over Perugia and he was almost selected to replace him.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller