Definition of 'al dente'

Word Frequency

al dente

(æl denteɪ )

adjective [usually verb-link ADJECTIVE]

If you cook pasta or a vegetable until it is al dente, you cook it just long enough so that it is neither hard nor soft but is firm and slightly chewy.

Word Frequency

al dente in British

Italian (al ˈdɛnte)

adjective

(of a pasta dish) cooked so as to be firm when eaten

Word origin of 'al dente'

literally: to the tooth

Word Frequency

al dente in American

(ɑl ˈdɛnteɪ ; äl denˈtā; æl ˈdɛnti ; al dentˈē)

cooked until firm to the bite; chewy

said esp. of pasta

Word origin of 'al dente'

It, lit., to the tooth

Example sentences containing 'al dente'

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Serve over the pasta cooked al dente. Times, Sunday Times (2013)

Trends of 'al dente'

Used Rarely. al dente is in the lower 50% of commonly used words in the Collins dictionary

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Nearby words of 'al dente'

Source

Definition of al dente from the Collins English Dictionary

Verbs

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