prosciutto

ham

noun proh-SHOOT-toh Rare

Origin: From Latin perexsuctus (well dried out).

Usage Note

Il prosciutto is masculine; plural i prosciutti. Italy has two main types: prosciutto crudo (cured raw ham, e.g. Parma, San Daniele) and prosciutto cotto (cooked ham). Ordering simply prosciutto in a deli will typically get you crudo in most regions. Never pluralise 'prosciutto' in the English borrowed form — in Italian the plural is prosciutti.

Examples

"Ho ordinato un panino con il prosciutto crudo."

Natural Translation

I ordered a sandwich with cured ham.

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