panini

noun

pa·​ni·​ni pə-ˈnē-nē 

variants or less commonly panino

pə-ˈnē-nō 

plural panini or paninis

: a usually grilled sandwich made with Italian bread

Note: Panini is a plural form in Italian but is commonly used as both a singular and a plural in English. Its use as a singular has given rise the variant plural form paninis. The use of panino as a singular form in English has become relatively uncommon as panini has become established as the usual singular.

On each visit, someone at our table invariably orders a panini …

—Jodi Wright

At the back of the shop are paninis, freshly brewed coffee and two tubs of homemade soups.

—M. H. Reed

Examples of panini in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Each offers an authentic Italian taste that complements a diverse array of dishes, including pasta, paninis, crostini, pizza, poultry and seafood, with no need to heat or cook. —Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 12 Mar. 2025

There’s also all-day dining at Conservatorio restaurant and poolside Café Focolare, which serves pizza and Florentine panini. —Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 3 Mar. 2025

Wolfman Pizza closed up its Cotswold Village location Jan. 21, although fans can still taste the Charlotte staple’s pizza pies, pastas, paninis and more at its Quail Corners location on Park Road. —Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 11 Feb. 2025

In the park itself, a chairlift soars over the slope up to the cafe which serves traditional dishes such as crepes, hot dogs and paninis. —Caroline Reid, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Italian, diminutive of pane bread, from Latin panis — more at food

First Known Use

1955, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for panini

• abc
• absentee
• addressee
• adoptee
• agouti
• allottee
• amphorae
• amputee
• apc
• apogee
• appointee
• assessee