linguine
UK[lɪŋˈɡwiːni]US[lɪŋˈɡwiːni]
n
A type of pasta in the form of narrow, flat strands, similar to but narrower than fettuccine.
Etymology
The word 'linguine' is a direct borrowing from Italian, where it is the plural form of 'linguina', meaning "little tongue". This traces back to the Latin word 'lingua', which primarily meant "tongue" but also extended to mean "language" or "speech". The pasta's name is a descriptive metaphor, comparing the shape of the flat, narrow noodles to the shape of a small tongue. This etymological path, from a body part to a food item, is a classic example of how words evolve through metaphorical extension as they move between cultures and languages.
Analysis
This is a loanword from Italian. In its source language, it is the plural of 'linguina', a diminutive of 'lingua', meaning "tongue". The morpheme 'lingua' is from Latin 'lingua', meaning "tongue, language".
Examples
The chef prepared a simple sauce of olive oil, garlic, and chili flakes to toss with the fresh linguine.
For this seafood dish, linguine is often preferred over spaghetti as its flat surface better holds the clam sauce.
She carefully timed the cooking of the linguine so it would be perfectly al dente when the carbonara sauce was ready.