bocconcini

plural noun

boc·​con·​ci·​ni ˌbä-kən-ˈchē-nē 

ˌbō-

: small balls of fresh mozzarella

… an olive oil vinaigrette-dressed bocconcini and Roma tomato salad.

—Jennifer Olvera, Chicago Daily Herald, 23 Sept. 2011

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Italian, plural of bocconcino, from boccone "mouthful" (from bocca "mouth" + -one, noun suffix, usually augmentative, going back to Latin -ō, -ōn-, suffix of nouns denoting persons with a prominent feature) + -cino, variant, with nouns ending in -one, of -ino, diminutive suffix, going back to Latin -īnus, suffix of appurtenance

First Known Use

1985, in the meaning defined above

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