polenta
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of polenta
First recorded before 1000; from Middle English pol(l)enta “fine meal; porridge made of fine meal,” Old English polente “parched grain or meal,” from Latin polenta “hulled, crushed grain; barley meal”; reborrowed in the 18th century from Italian polenta “kind of dish made of refined corn (or other) meal”
Explanation
Polenta is an Italian dish made from cornmeal. Polenta is usually prepared to be a soft, savory porridge and is often served with cheese. Depending on how you cook polenta, it can be a breakfast food, a comforting creamy side dish, or a more solid, chewy base for sauce — almost a substitute for pasta. If you trace the Italian word back to the Latin root, it literally means "peeled barley," and is closely related to pollen, "powder or fine flour." Today's polenta always comes from corn — and it's nearly always delicious.
Vocabulary lists containing polenta
World Cuisine - Introductory
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World Cuisine - Middle School and High School
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5th Grade World Cuisine, List 1
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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.
Polenta cooks on an open fire, trout comes from the local streams and even the simple fresh salad is grown nearby.
From Washington Post • Sep. 9, 2022
Polenta makes the most natural accompaniment, although pasta and couscous are also good options.
From Salon • Feb. 12, 2022
The Galaxy's Diego Polenta conceded the penalty for a high kick in the area.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2019
The Galaxy’s Diego Polenta conceded the penalty for a high kick in the area.
From Washington Times • Mar. 9, 2019
Serve in gravy bowl—a spoonful on each piece of Polenta.
From The Suffrage Cook Book by Kleber, L. O., Mrs.
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.
