ricotta

noun

ri·​cot·​ta ri-ˈkä-tə How to pronounce ricotta (audio)
-ˈkȯ-
: a white unripened whey cheese of Italy that resembles cottage cheese
also : a similar cheese made in the U.S. from whole or skim milk

Examples of ricotta in a Sentence

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.
One person died from a listeria infection traced to ricotta cheese. — Dylan Scott, Vox, 27 Aug. 2026 Guests also will have the opportunity to enjoy drinks from the bar team behind Thunderbolt and Night on Earth, try ricotta pancakes from Café Telegrama and sample British pub revival dishes from New York City hotspot Dean’s. — Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026 Thin-shelled yet not overly delicate, stuffed with amarena cherry-scented light ricotta bookended by bitter dark chocolate chips. — The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026 Cheese, Greek and kale pizzas are customer favorites, or cozy up to a nostalgic helping of lasagna, made with ricotta and mozzarella cheese with marinara or Bolognese sauce. — Usa Today Network, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ricotta

Word History

Etymology

Italian, from feminine of past participle of ricuocere to cook again, from Latin recoquere, from re- + coquere to cook — more at cook

First Known Use

1617, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ricotta was in 1617

Rhymes for ricotta

See All Rhymes for ricotta

Browse Nearby Words

ricolettaite
ricotta
rictal
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ricotta.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ricotta. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

ricotta

noun
ri·​cot·​ta ri-ˈkät-ə How to pronounce ricotta (audio)
: a soft, white Italian cheese

More from Merriam-Webster on ricotta

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ricotta

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All