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Meaning & use

antipasti

noun·Advanced

Last updated

UK/ˌæntiˈpɑːsti/
US/ˌɑːntiˈpɑːsti/

“antipasti” is a form of “antipasto”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.

Meanings

  1. nounplural

    Small dishes of cold meats, cheese, vegetables and other foods served at the start of an Italian meal.

    Grammar: Plural of antipasto, but often used for the whole course.

    Patterns

    • a platter of antipasti
    • antipasti such as olives

    We shared a platter of antipasti before the pasta arrived.

    The antipasti included olives, salami and marinated peppers.

    She arranged the antipasti on a long wooden board.

  2. noununcountable

    The first course of a traditional Italian meal, before the pasta or main dish.

    Grammar: Used for the course: we ordered antipasti first.

    Patterns

    • start with antipasti

    They always start with antipasti and a glass of wine.

    The restaurant is known for its generous antipasti.

    Antipasti usually come before the pasta course in Italy.

Word forms

singularantipasto

Common combinations

antipasti platter
The antipasti platter was big enough for four.
cold antipasti
Cold antipasti suit a warm summer evening.
serve antipasti
We serve antipasti at every family gathering.
selection of antipasti
The waiter brought a selection of antipasti to the table.
antipasti board
She built an antipasti board with cheese and figs.

Synonyms and how they differ

appetizers
Appetizers is the general term for any starter, whereas antipasti points to an Italian-style selection.
starters
Starters is the common British word for the first course, without any Italian reference.
hors d'oeuvres
Hors d'oeuvres are small French-style bites often served standing, while antipasti are usually served sitting at a table.
tapas
Tapas are small Spanish dishes that can make up a whole meal, unlike antipasti, which only begin one.

Opposites

dessert

Word family

antipasto noun
a single starter dish of this kind
pasta noun
the Italian course that often follows
primo noun
the first main course after antipasti, often pasta or soup
dolce noun
the sweet course at the end of an Italian meal

Commonly confused: antipasti or antipathy?

antipasti vs antipathy

Antipathy means strong dislike and has nothing to do with food, though the first letters look alike.

Practice

At the Italian restaurant, we shared a plate of olives, cheese and cured meats as ____ before the pasta.

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