primavera

¹ American  

[pree-muh-vair-uh] / ˌpri məˈvɛər ə /

noun

1. a central American tree, Cybistax donnell-smithii, of the bignonia family, having showy, tubular yellow flowers.

2. Also called white mahogany.  the hard, yellowish-white wood of this tree, used for making furniture.

---

primavera ² American  

[pree-muh-vair-uh, pree-mah-ve-rah] / ˌpri məˈvɛər ə, ˌpri mɑˈvɛ rɑ /

adjective

Italian Cooking.

1. prepared with a variety of chopped or minced vegetables.

   pasta primavera.

---

Etymology

Origin of primavera¹

1890–95; < Spanish: literally, spring; so called from its early flowering; primaveral

Origin of primavera²

Apparently ellipsis from Italian alla primavera in the style of springtime; primaveral

Example Sentences

Esta primavera, Clive Kabatznik, un inversor de Florida, llamó a su representante local de Bank of America para hablar de una gran transferencia de dinero que pensaba hacer.

From New York Times • Sep. 3, 2023

This version, brimming with herbs, spinach, asparagus and peas, is an ode to spring, like a baked pasta primavera in its richest form.

From Seattle Times • May 14, 2023

The recipe for pasta primavera that ran in the Times instructs the cook to blanch each green vegetable separately in salted water — a decidedly French level of fussiness.

From Washington Post • Apr. 27, 2023

The Italian-American pasta primavera gets a seasonal springtime spin with scallions, leeks, broccoli, green beans, and lots and lots of lemon.

From Salon • Mar. 12, 2022

It is as much without rule or study or conventionality as the song of birds when in Italian phrase, fanno primavera.

From Essays in the Study of Folk-Songs (1886) by Martinengo-Cesaresco, Countess Evelyn