polenta

noun

po·​len·​ta pō-ˈlen-tə How to pronounce polenta (audio)
pə-,
-ˌtä
: mush made of chestnut meal, cornmeal, semolina, or farina

Examples of polenta in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Serve with pan juices and onions over polenta or mashed potatoes; garnish with chives. Liv Dansky, Southern Living, 23 Oct. 2024 Local favorites include the Tricarico Social Club with its polenta and sausage and the Sons of Sicily frying up sfingi for dessert. Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, 4 Oct. 2024 Her vegetarian chili, a recipe handed down from her mother, was the stuff of legend, as was her Mayan bake, which featured polenta layered with beans and vegetables and a smoky chipotle sauce. Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 27 Sep. 2024 Signature dishes include an octopus dish with squid ink, apple, dashi and kimchi, and a Black Angus sirloin with coffee, parsnip and polenta. Sandra MacGregor, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for polenta 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'polenta.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Italian, from Latin, crushed and hulled barley; akin to Latin pollen fine flour

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of polenta was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near polenta

Cite this Entry

“Polenta.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polenta. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

polenta

noun
po·​len·​ta pō-ˈlen-tə How to pronounce polenta (audio)
: mush made of chestnut meal, cornmeal, or grain

Biographical Definition

Polenta

biographical name

Po·​len·​ta pō-ˈlen-tə How to pronounce Polenta (audio)
Francesca da died 1283(or 1284) Francesca da Rimini ˌfran-ˈche-skə-dä-ˈri-mə-(ˌ)nē How to pronounce Polenta (audio)
ˌfrän-,
-ˈrē-
Italian noblewoman famous for tragic adulterous love affair

More from Merriam-Webster on polenta

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