macaroni

American  

[mak-uh-roh-nee] / ˌmæk əˈroʊ ni /

Or maccaroni

noun

plural

macaronis, macaronies

1. small, tubular pasta prepared from wheat flour.

2. an English dandy of the 18th century who affected Continental mannerisms, clothes, etc.

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macaroni British  

/ ˌmækəˈrəʊnɪ /

noun

1. pasta tubes made from wheat flour

2. (in 18th-century Britain) a dandy who affected foreign manners and style

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Etymology

Origin of macaroni

1590–1600; earlier maccaroni < dialectal Italian, plural of maccarone ( Italian maccherone ). See macaroon

Explanation

Macaroni is a short, skinny, tube-shaped pasta. Many kids — and adults — would name "macaroni and cheese" as one of their favorite foods. At some Italian restaurants, you can order macaroni as a side dish, and it's easy to cook at home with tomato sauce or butter and cheese. Macaroni and cheese can be cooked on the stove or baked in the oven with a crunchy breadcrumb topping. Macaroni began to have the second meaning of "fop" or "dandy" around 1780, named for the well-traveled youths who ate what was considered fancy and exotic at the time — macaroni.

Example Sentences

If you had to name a few typical foods for children, my guess is that you’d list chicken nuggets, pizza, French fries and maybe macaroni and cheese.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

A chef friend has Big Opinions on the price at which boxed macaroni and cheese becomes “gourmet.”

From Salon • Jan. 5, 2026

The company has struggled in recent years as demand had softened for some of its core products, including Lunchables, Capri Sun, macaroni and cheese and mayonnaise.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 16, 2025

I would bet an entire wishbone they’re slinging pans of macaroni and cheese that will bring the house down.

From Salon • Nov. 25, 2025

He sat down beside Shadow and began to eat his macaroni and cheese.

From "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman

Related Words

• penne
• spaghetti
• tortellini