pastina
Americannoun
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
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.
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 many, including Danielle Sepulveres, pastina was the quintessential sick day food.
From Salon ● Jan. 11, 2023
Stefanie DiMartino summarized pastina's all-purpose appeal as such: "If you were sick — pastina. If you were sad — pastina. If you were just having a bad day — pastina."
From Salon ● Jan. 11, 2023
"My cousins and I basically started off eating pastina before we graduated to larger pasta and sauce. It's so tiny and there's little chew involved."
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
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.
