cavatelli

noun

ca·​va·​tel·​li ˌkä-və-ˈte-lē 

: pasta in the form of small shells having rolled edges

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Italian, from dialectal (Molise) cavatièllə, chęvętiéllə (masculine plural), diminutive of caviatə, chęvatə "hollowed out pasta made from semolina and usually potato," from plural of cavatə, chęvatə "hollowed out, concave," from past participle of cavà, chęvà "to hollow out" (Tuscan cavare)

Note: Dialect forms are from Ernesto Giammarco, Dizionario abruzzese e molisano, vol. 1, Rome: Edizioni dell'Ateneo, 1968; the symbols é and è represent open and close e respectively in tonic syllables, and ę open e in an atonic syllable.

First Known Use

1945, in the meaning defined above

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