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Synonyms

gnocchi

American  
[nyoh-kee, no-, noh-, nyawk-kee] / ˈnyoʊ ki, ˈnɒ-, ˈnoʊ-, ˈnyɔk ki /

noun

(used with a singular or plural verb)
  1. a dish of little dumplings made from potatoes, semolina, flour, or a combination of these ingredients.


gnocchi British  
/ ˈɡnɒkɪ, ɡəˈnɒkɪ, ˈnɒkɪ /

plural noun

  1. dumplings made of pieces of semolina pasta, or sometimes potato, used to garnish soup or served alone with sauce

"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 gnocchi

1890–95; < Italian, plural of gnocco, originally Upper Italian (Veneto), perhaps cognate with Tuscan nocca, nocco knuckle < Langobardic *knohha joint; knuckle

Explanation

If you like pasta but are tired of spaghetti, you might want to give gnocchi a try. These Italian potato dumplings, which are boiled or baked, are thick and delicious. Gnocchi consists of small dumplings made of potato, flour, and semolina. Like other types of pasta, gnocchi is served with cheese and sauce. Like spaghetti, this is a plural world: the singular gnocco is rarely seen in English. Make sure you have a full appetite before eating a plate of gnocchi because it will fill you up.

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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.

Rhys and Laura Keogh, the owners of Dirty Gnocchi in Cardiff Market, owned an Italian restaurant for eight years but said they had noticed a change in spending habits accelerated by Covid.

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2024

I especially love the recipe for Lamb Birria with Masa Gnocchi from Gerardo Gonzalez, formerly of Lalito in NYC.

From Salon • Jul. 16, 2023

Gnocchi is a perennial favorite at his East Village restaurant Hearth, and there are recipes for whole-wheat pasta dishes in this cookbook.

From Slate • Sep. 18, 2018

“The Gnocchi Truffle Mac” was more a fondue of fontina, Gruyère and rosemary truffle oil with floating starchy nuggets.

From Seattle Times • May 17, 2016

Pasticcio di Maccheroni is an excellent macaroni pie, and Gnocchi di Patele are little knobs of paste boiled like macaroni.

From The Gourmet's Guide to Europe by Newnham-Davis, Lieut.-Col. (Nathaniel)

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