pastina

American  

[pa-stee-nuh] / pæˈsti nə /

noun

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

---

Etymology

Origin of pastina

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

Example Sentences

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

This reminded me, in Italian-American culture, of pastina — a grain that has deep, revenant importance throughout both Italy, America and many countries beyond that.

From Salon • Jan. 26, 2024

Similar to how pastina is sometimes referred to as "Italian penicillin," the same is true for chicken or chicken noodle, often hailed or regarded as "Jewish penicillin."

From Salon • Feb. 19, 2023

Last week, my friend texted me a picture of a box of Ronzoni pastina, saying she was "going to see what all the rave is about."

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