pastina

American  

[pa-stee-nuh] / pæˈsti nə /

noun

1. very small pieces of pasta, available in various shapes, used especially in soups.

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Etymology

Origin of pastina

First recorded in 1900–05; from Italian: literally, “little pasta,” diminutive of pasta “pasta” + -ina feminine diminutive suffix; see origin at paste ( def. ), -ine ²

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pastina

Soup is the obvious recommendation for days when appetite has gone AWOL, but two in particular stand out as personal MVPs: the “tiny everything” pastina and rotisserie chicken congee.

From Salon ● Jan. 29, 2026

For the pastina, I cook finely chopped carrots, onions, and celery until soft, then remove and blend about half until silky smooth.

From Salon ● Jan. 29, 2026

As Jelisa Castrodale writes in Food & Wine, there are actually multiple petitions on both Petitions.net and Change.org pleading for the pastina to be reinstated.

From Salon ● Jan. 11, 2023

Truthfully, pastina wasn't ever really a staple in my household.

From Salon ● Jan. 11, 2023

His breakfasts may have been a cardiologist’s nightmare—eggs, sausage, bacon, pastina with a poached egg—but he considered his marinara sauce to be healthy perfection: just garlic, oil, tomatoes, salt, and pepper.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times

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