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

Elkin Location: 75 miles from Charlotte What to do: Grab a chicken salad panini or pimiento cheese sandwich at The Barking Coyote Kitchen, then snag some black bean hummus from the deli section for a snack later on. —Melissa Oyler, Charlotte Observer, 6 May 2025

Then, the sweet sandwich is pressed together, panini style, to create a warm and irresistible dessert. —Moná Thomas, People.com, 24 Apr. 2025

Snack on a porchetta panini in the wrong place at the wrong time and risk a ticket, according to Debra Levinson, founder and owner of Mr. & Mrs. Italy, a tour operator. —The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2025

But a prosciutto panini from Stasio’s Italian Deli isn’t a disappointment either. —Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 5 Mar. 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