carbonara

noun

car·​bo·​nara ˌkär-bə-ˈnär-ə How to pronounce carbonara (audio)
: a dish of hot pasta into which other ingredients (such as eggs, bacon or ham, and grated cheese) have been mixed
—often used as a postpositive modifier
spaghetti carbonara

Examples of carbonara in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Come fill your belly with cacio e pepe, carbonara, and enough pizza to fill your soul. — Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 20 July 2026 How to Make Jennifer Aniston’s Spaghetti Carbonara Here’s a quick look at how to make Jennifer’s fresh spin on carbonara. — Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 July 2026 Of the capital's four iconic pastas -- carbonara, gricia, amatriciana and cacio e pepe -- only the latter is typically made with a fresh noodle, the square-shaped, long tonnarelli. — Natalie B. Compton The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 19 July 2026 Classics include meatballs in marinara sauce, bucatini carbonara, and Cioppino, a San Francisco seafood stew made with clams, mussels, shrimp, local catch, and Dungeness crab. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for carbonara

Word History

Etymology

Italian dialect (alla) carbonara, literally, in the manner of a charcoal maker

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of carbonara was in 1962

Rhymes for carbonara

See All Rhymes for carbonara

Browse Nearby Words

carbonado
carbonara
carbon arc
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Carbonara.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carbonara. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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