prosciutto
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of prosciutto
1935–40; < Italian prosciutto, earlier presciutto < Vulgar Latin *perexsuctus all dried up, equivalent to Latin per- per- + exsuctus lacking juice
Explanation
Prosciutto is a type of sliced, cured meat that's used in various Italian dishes, from appetizers to pasta. These recipes include prosciutto for its salty, intensely flavorful taste. Prosciutto is made from pork. It's a version of ham that's sliced paper-thin after being dry-cured for a very long time, a process that involves salting the meat heavily. When you eat prosciutto, you're actually eating raw meat, since it's aged instead of cooked. The strong, salty flavor lends this Italian delicacy to antipasto plates and pizza toppings. We can trace the word prosciutto back to the Latin exsuctus, "lacking juice" or "dried up."
Vocabulary lists containing prosciutto
World Cuisine - Introductory
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World Cuisine - Middle School and High School
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National Spelling Bee '14: Prelims Round 2
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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.
After a year-long renovation, the Denair, Calif., home has a huge kitchen with space for the commercial meat slicer that Victor uses to cut a leg of prosciutto at family events.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
So instead, I headed back toward where I started, walking past the high-end shops of Melrose Place before arriving at Zinque for a simple prosciutto and cornichon sandwich and an Arnold Palmer.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2026
The rest of the menu is just as impressive, featuring Argentine empanadas with a variety of fillings, provoleta — a gooey roasted cheese — pastas, prosciutto served with melon, and multiple potato sides.
From Salon ● Sep. 29, 2025
And meanwhile we have these sidebar conversations in, like, the lifestyle section about Clarence Thomas and the many, many, many people who feast on his prosciutto.
From Slate ● Apr. 6, 2024
Dr. Gazzaley walks to the kitchen counter to show the text to a handful of people who have come early to eat prosciutto and soy chicken from Whole Foods.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
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.
