pesto

noun

pes·​to ˈpe-(ˌ)stō How to pronounce pesto (audio)
: a sauce made especially of fresh basil, garlic, oil, pine nuts, and grated cheese

Examples of pesto in a Sentence

Top the bread with pesto.
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.
For dinner, guests enjoyed crab, lobster, beef, risotto and tomato and basil pesto tarts. Sarah Title, People.com, 10 July 2025 Give an old classic a summery twist by stirring pesto into the deviled egg filling. Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 3 July 2025 The menu includes tiger prawns, lemon pepper chicken skewers, Colorado lamb skewers, chicken pesto fusilli, cauliflower steak, carbonara flatbread and Atlantic salmon. Endia Fontanez, AZCentral.com, 3 July 2025 Along with the option to build-your-own bowl, options include barbecue chicken apple, pesto chicken parmesan, and hot honey chicken. Amanda Hancock, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for pesto

Word History

Etymology

Italian, from pesto, adjective, pounded, from pestare to pound, from Late Latin pistare, frequentative of Latin pinsere

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pesto was in 1937

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pesto.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pesto. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

pesto

noun
pes·​to ˈpes-tō How to pronounce pesto (audio)
: a sauce made especially of fresh basil, garlic, oil, pine nuts, and grated cheese

More from Merriam-Webster on pesto

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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