Synonyms

al dente

American

[al den-tay, -tee, ahl den-te] / æl ˈdɛn teɪ, -ti, ɑl ˈdɛn tɛ /

adjective

(especially of pasta) cooked so as not to be too soft; firm to the bite.

spaghetti al dente.

al dente British

/ al ˈdɛnte /

adjective

(of a pasta dish) cooked so as to be firm when eaten

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of al dente

1945–50; Italian: literally, to the tooth

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.

See Examples For:

al dente

Tossed with olive oil, tomatoes, jalapeño, feta and Parmesan cheese, the expertly al dente Rustichella rigatoni is not your everyday mac ‘n’ cheese dinner.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2026

Add the asparagus and let everything turn glossy for a few minutes, then toss with sweet snap peas, chives and al dente pasta.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026

Meanwhile, low glycemic index carbs, such as parboiled rice and al dente pasta, that are more slowly absorbed and produce a smaller blood sugar spike are associated with decreased risk.

From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2024

Meanwhile, bring pasta water to a boil, and cook the orecchiette until it’s al dente.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 9, 2024

They resembled noodles that had been cooked al dente.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023