parmigiana

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   A dish in which meat or vegetables are covered with tomato sauce and cheese, then baked.

   Grammar: Used as an uncountable noun: you eat parmigiana, not 'a parmigiana', though menus often write 'a chicken parmigiana'.

   Patterns

   • chicken parmigiana
   • eggplant parmigiana
   • make parmigiana

   My grandmother makes the best eggplant parmigiana in the family.

   We ordered chicken parmigiana with a side of pasta.

   The restaurant serves parmigiana with a thick layer of melted mozzarella.

2. 2adjectivebefore a noun

   Cooked in the style of this dish, with tomato sauce and cheese baked on top.

   Grammar: Comes before the noun it describes, as in 'veal parmigiana'; it is not used after a verb.

   Patterns

   • veal parmigiana
   • chicken parmigiana

   He chose the veal parmigiana special.

   The menu lists three parmigiana options: chicken, eggplant and veal.

Common combinations

chicken parmigiana

Chicken parmigiana is a popular dish in Italian-American restaurants.

eggplant parmigiana

For a meat-free meal, try the eggplant parmigiana.

veal parmigiana

The chef breaded the veal parmigiana himself.

a slice of parmigiana

She took a second slice of parmigiana from the baking dish.

Synonyms and how they differ

parm

An informal short form used mainly in the US, as in 'chicken parm'; it fits casual speech better than a formal menu.

Word family

Parmesan noun

The hard Italian cheese often used in this and other dishes.

Commonly confused: parmigiana or Parmesan?

Practice

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