macaroni
UK[ˌmækəˈrəʊni]US[ˌmækəˈroʊni]
n
A type of pasta in the form of short, hollow tubes.
n
(historical, 18th-century Britain) A fashionable young man who affected foreign tastes and manners.
Etymology
The word 'macaroni' entered English in the 16th century from the Italian 'maccaroni', which itself is believed to derive from the Neapolitan dialect term 'maccarone'. Its ultimate origin is likely the Greek 'makaria', a term for a food made from barley, which is related to 'makarios' meaning 'blessed' or 'happy'. The semantic journey reflects the food's association with sustenance and pleasure. The later, 18th-century British slang meaning for a dandy arose from the perception that such young men, who had adopted extravagant continental European (especially Italian) styles, were as foreign and exotic as the pasta dish was to the British diet at the time.
Analysis
This word is a loanword from Italian. It is not productively segmented into meaningful morphemes in modern English.
Examples
The classic macaroni and cheese is a beloved comfort food.
In the 1770s, a "macaroni" was a peacockish man who followed the latest continental fashions.
She boiled the macaroni until it was al dente.