farina di mais
The Italian word for cornmeal is farina di mais.
farina di mais refers to dried corn that has been milled into a meal. While it is the standard term for cornmeal, it is also used to refer to corn flour, as the Italian name does not always distinguish between a fine or coarse texture.
Meaning: dried corn milled to a coarse meal (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of farina (flour) and di mais (of corn).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the regions of Lombardy and Veneto, it is common to refer to a coarser type of cornmeal as bramata.
Did you know?
- The word mais is a phonetic adaptation of the indigenous Taíno word for maize, traveling from the Americas to Spain and then into Italian.
- In Italy, farina di mais is the essential ingredient for polenta, a dish that shifted from being a peasant staple to a gourmet item in modern Italian cuisine.
- The word farina descends from the Latin farīna, which originally referred specifically to a meal made from far, an ancient kind of emmer wheat.
Examples in context
- Scusi, può indicarmi dove posso trovare la farina di mais?Excuse me, can you tell me where I can find the cornmeal?
- Uso la farina di mais per la polenta.I use cornmeal for the polenta.
- Serve un po' di farina di mais.Some cornmeal is needed.
- Questa farina di mais è molto fine.This cornmeal is very fine.
Example conversation
Matteo and Chiara are in the kitchen preparing dinner.
- MatteoChiara, hai comprato la farina di mais?Chiara, did you buy the cornmeal?
- ChiaraSì, è nel sacchetto sul tavolo.Yes, it is in the bag on the table.
- MatteoOttimo, la userò per la cena.Great, I will use it for dinner.
- ChiaraPerfetto, la polenta sarà deliziosa.Perfect, the polenta will be delicious.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries di, farina, mais, CC BY-SA 4.0.
