rigatoni
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of rigatoni
1925–30; < Italian (noun plural), equivalent to rigat ( o ) furrowed, lined, striped (past participle of rigare, derivative of riga a line < Langobardic *rīga ) + -oni plural augmentative suffix
Compare meaning
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Explanation
Rigatoni is a type of tube-shaped, medium-sized pasta with ridges running lengthwise down the outside of the tube. Unlike penne, which can be ridged or smooth, rigatoni has straight-cut ends, and it's larger. Rigatoni originated in Italy, and is especially associated with Rome and central-southern Italy. Its name comes from the Italian word rigato, which means "ridged" or "lined." The ridges on the outside and the wideness of the tubes help catch and hold onto chunky sauces like Bolognese, or the eggplant, tomato, and salted ricotta sauce of the Sicilian dish called pasta alla Norma. While rigatoni is similar in size to ziti, the latter is usually smooth on the outside and narrower in the middle.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
New York City is awash in food dyes, from Jalen Brunson rigatoni to blue-and-orange bagels, for the NBA Finals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026
I’m especially fond of rigatoni with sausage and this maple-pumpkin pasta sauce, Bibi Hutchings’ chicken spaghetti and an adaptation of my grandmother’s baked spaghetti — all cozy, all freezer-friendly, all a little unexpected.
From Salon ● Jan. 19, 2026
Saturday’s menu includes focaccia with whipped ricotta, mortadella with shaved parmigiana, fregola sarda alle vongole, rigatoni amatriciana, and boneless chicken with caper, anchovy and parsley sauce.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2023
Judge Sheindlin took a bite of rigatoni Bolognese, and this reporter tried again: Why was her son Adam the best possible option for the third “Tribunal Justice” adjudicator?
From New York Times ● Jun. 16, 2023
And you learn that baloney's baloney When Bologna feeds you rigatoni.
From "Will Grayson, Will Grayson" by John Green and David Levithan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
