Find the meaning of Italian food terms that you see in recipes and on our cooking courses in Tuscany

Dictionary

# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

There are currently 237 names in this directory beginning with the letter A.

a bony

nm/f guest; host; hostess; bathtowel; d’onore guest of honour

a delicious

delizioso

abbacchiare

vt (of olives &c) to beat down (from tree)

abbacchio

nm roast suckling lamb

abbigliamento

nm dress; – (in)formale (in)formal dress

abboccato

a (of wine) mellow; smooth

abbondante

a (of crop) plentiful; (of weight &c) full

abbondanza

nf abundance; glut

abbrustolimento

nm (of nuts &c) roasting

abbrustolire

vt (of bread) to toast; (of meat) to grill; (of nuts) to roast

abbuffata

nf (of food quantity)blowout

abelmosco

nm okra

abito

nm (of clothing) suit;

abramide

nf river fish: bream

abruzzese

a (of region) of Abruzzi

acacia

nf acacia

acagiia

nm cashew

accanto

a (of restaurant) local

accendino

nm cigarette-lighter

accenditoio

nm taper

accesso vietato

nm no entry

accessorio

a additional af:ciaccato a (of fruit &c) bruised

acciaio

nm steel;

acciuga

nf anchovy;

acciugata

nf oil-cooked anchovy sauce

accogliente

a (of host) welcoming

accogliere

vt (of host) to receive; to welcome

accompagnamento

nm (of dish) garnish; accompaniment

accompagnato

a (of dish) with 11

acconto

nm (of money) deposit

acerbita

nf unripeness

acerbo

a acerbic; (of fruit) unripe, green; (of wine) not ready

acero

nm maple

alce

nm (of deer) elk; moose

alcelafo

nm hartebeest

alchechengi

nm strawberry tomato

alcina

nf eland; antelope

alcol

nm alcohol; – denaturato methylated spirits

alcolicita

nm (of alcohol) proof

alcolico

nm alcoholic drink; -ci spirits; a alcoholic

aleatico

nm red wine variety

alfalfa

nf alfalfa

alga marina

nf seaweed

alice

nf anchovy

alimentare

vt to feed; a alimentary; dietary

alimentarista

nm/nf grocer; dietician

alimentazione

nf diet

alimento

nm aliment; – per lattanti (- per hambini piccoli) baby-food all’aperto a alfresco; outdoors

allarme antincendio

nm fire alarm

allattamento

nm (of animal) suckling

allergia

nf allergy

allergico

a allergic

allevamento

nm farm; farming, raising; – industriale factory farm; – di pesci fish farm

allevare

vt (of animal) to raise; to rear

allevato

a (of animals) reared; raised

allodola

nf skylark

alloggiare

vt accommodate

alloggio

accommodation

alloro

nm (of tree) bay

allungare

vt (of sauce &c) to dilute; to thin

alosa

nf sea fish: shad

alpestre

nm alpine herb spirits; a alpine

alpino

a alpine

altea

nf marshmallow

alto

a (of temperature &c) high alto mare a deep-sea

alveare

nm beehive

alzata

nf (of cake &c) stand

alzavola

nf teal

amabilita

nf (of alcohol) smoothness

amalgamare

vt (of ingredients &c) to mix; to blend; to cream; to amalgamate; to assemble amanita nf (of mushroom) amanita

amarasca

nf morello

amarena :

nf bitter cherry; morello cherry

amaretto

nm almond spirits; (of biscuit) macaroon

amaro

nm bitters; a bitter; sour; (of orange) bigarade; (of coffee) unsweetened

amarognolo

a bitter-tasting

amatriciana

nf pork/wined/ tomato-ed/chili-ed/onion-ed garnished

ambra grigia

nf ambergris

ambrato

a (of wine) amber

ambrosia

nf ambrosia ” americano a (of coffee) filter coffee

amido

nm starch

ammaccare

vt (of fruit &c) to damage; to bruise ammaccato a (of fruit &c) damaged; bruised

ammaccatura

nf (of fruit &c) blemish, imperfection

ammazzacaffe

nm postprandial drink

ammazzatoio

nm abattoir

ammettere

vt (of entry) to admit

ammollicato

a softened

ammorbidire

vt (of butter &c) to soften; (of meat) to tenderize

ampolliera

nf cruet

anacardio

nm cashew

analcolico

nm soft drink; a nonalcoholic

ananas

nm pineapple; ananas

anatra (anitra)

nf duck; – all’arancia duck a I’orange; – laccata (- pechinese) peking duck; ~ mandarina mandarin duck; – selvatica wild duck

anatroccolo

nm duckling

anconetana

anconetana : (all’) a of Ancona

ancora

adv more

andare

vi (of dining) to go out

andato

a (of food) spoiled; ruined

anellini

nmpl ring-shaped pasta; – rigati ringed ribbed pasta

anello

nm ring

aneto

nm dill

angelica

nf angelica

angelo di mare

nm angelfish, monkfish; capelli d’angelo angel-hair pasta

angolo

nm angle; ~ del tovagliolo napkin; – cottura kitchenette; kitchen area

angostura

nf angostura

anguilla

nf eel

anguria

nf water-melon

anice

nm anise; aniseed; liquore all’- anisette; – stellato star anise

anicino

nm aniseed biscuit; sugared aniseed

animale

nm animal; – da allevamento farm animal; -i da cortile poultry

animella

nf sweetbread

anisetta

nf anise liqueur, anisette

annata

nf year; (of wine) vintage; (of crop) harvest; vino d’~ vintage wine

annerire

vi (of fruit) to turn black; (of silver) to tarnish

anno

nm year

annullamento

nm (of reservation) cancellation

annullare

vt (of reservation) to cancel

anolini

nmpl ring-shaped filled pasta

anona

nf custard apple

anoressante

nm appetite suppressant

anteprandiale

a anteprandial, before-meal

antiacido

a antacid

antiaderente

a non-stick

antialcolista

nm/f teetotaller antilope

antincendio

a fire-proof; porta -a fire-door; scala -a fire escape

antipasto

nm starter, appetizer, hors d’oeuvre

ape

nf bee

aperitivo

nm (of drink) aperitif; (of food) appetizer; – duomo (of cocktail) vermouth/cointreau/gin/maraschino

appagare

vt to satisfy; (of thirst) to quench

apparecchiare

vt (of table) to lay

apparecchio

nm appliance

appena fatto

a (of coffee &c) freshly brewed

appendiabiti

nm clothes hanger

appetito

nm appetite

appetitoso

a appetizing; tasty; delicious; mouth-watering

apprezzare

vt (of meal) to enjoy

apprezzato

a (of meal) choice

apribottiglie

nm bottle-opener

aprile

nm April

aprire

vt (of bottle &c) to open

apriscatole

nm tin-opener; can-opener

aquario

nm aquarium

aquila di mare

nf sea fish: eagle ray

arac nm arak (arack)

spirits usu of coconut or rice

arachide

nf peanut; groundnut

aragosta

nf lobster; crayfish; langouste; – all’armoricana lobster with tomatoes/bacon; – Newburg lobster Newburg; brandy/sherry-sauced

arancia

nf orange; – sanguinella blood-orange

aranciata

nf orangeade

arancino

nm cheese/meat stuffed rice croquette

arborio

nm rice variety

argenteria

nf silverware

aria condizionata

nf air conditioning

ariete

nm (of sheep) ram

arigusta

nf langouste; crayfish

aringa :

nf herring; – affumicata kipper, bloater

arista

nf roast pork loin

arnese

nm (of kitchen) utensil

arnia

nf beehive

aroma

nm aroma; flavouring; -i herbs; spice

aromatico

a aromatic; erba -a herb

aromatizzante

nm flavouring

aromatizzare

vt to flavour aromatizzato a flavoured

arrabbiata (all’)

a chili-sauced arrabiato a chili sauce

arricchire :

vt to enrich

arricchito

a enriched; fortified

arrivederci!

nm good-bye!

arrivo

nm arrival; orario d’ arrival time

arrostire

vt to roast; – alla griglia (~ allo spiedo) to barbecue

arrosto

a roast

arrotare

vt (of knife) to sharpen

arrotino

nm (of knife) sharpener

arrotolare

vt to roll-up

arrowroot

nm arrowroot

arsella

nf clam

arteria

nf artery

artesiano

a (of well) artesian artigianale a hand-made; hand baked; traditional

ascensore

nm lift; elevator

asciugabiancheria

nm tumble dryer

asciugamano

nm hand-towel asciugare vt (of dishes) to dry; to wipe

asciugatoio

nm hand-towel asciugatore nm hand-dryer

asciugatrice

nf tumble-dryer asciutto a dry

ascolana (all’)

a breaded fried stuffed green olives

asiago

nm skimmed cow’s milk cheese

asino

nn ass

asparagi

nmpl asparagus; punta di – asparagus tip

aspic

nm aspic

aspirina

nf aspirin

asprezza

nf (of fruit &c) sharpness

aspro

a (of fruit &c) sharp

assafetida

nf asafoetida

assaggiare

vt to sample; to taste

assaggiatore di vino

nm wine-taster

assaporare

vt to savour; to relish; to enjoy; to taste

assegno

nm (of money) cheque; check; carta -i cheque-card; – turistico traveller’s cheque

assenzio

nm absinth(e)

assetato

a thirsty

assorbente

a absorbent; carta – kitchen-paper

assorbibile

a absorbable

assorbire

vt absorb

assortimento

nm assortment; array; spread; (of cheese) cheese-board

assortito

a (of sweets &c) assorted; mixed; plentiful

assunzione

nf consumption; intake

astaco

nm freshwater crayfish

astemio

a abstemious; teetotal; nm non-drinker

astenersi

vi (of alcohol &c) to abstain

astice

nm lobster

astinente

a abstinent

astinenza

nf abstinence

atmosfera

nf atmosphere

atrio

nm (of hotel) lobby; hall

attaccapanni

nm coat-rack attenti! excl care! warning! attenzione! exc/ care! warning!

attimo

nm (of cooking) short time; few minutes

attinia

nf actinia

attrezzatura

nf (of kitchen) equipment

attrezzo

nm (of kitchen) utensils

audioleso

a hard-of-hearing

aumentare

vt (of oven heat &c) to increase; to turn-up

aurora (all’)

a (of mushrooms) egg yolk/cheese/tomato sauced

autogrill®

nm motorway cafe

autoparcheggio

nm car park

autosilo

nm multi-storey car park

autostazione

nf coach-station

autunno

nm autumn

avana

nf (of cigar) Havana

avannotto

nm alevin; young fish, esp salmon

avanzato

a left-over

avanzo

nm scraps; left-overs; -i offal

avariarsi

vi (of meat &c) to go off

avellano

nm hazel

avena

nf oats; fiocchi d’- oat flakes

avicolo

a poultry

avicoltura

nf poultry-farming

avizzito

a (of fruit &c) shrivelled-up

avocado

nm avocado, alligator pear

avoirdupois

nm avoirdupois

azuki

nm aduki (adzuki) bean

azzimo

a (of bread) unleavened

azzurro

a (of colour) blue; squalo – blue-shark B