zucchini
n.n. a green vegetable that looks like a small green squash. It is often used in cooking and can be eaten raw or cooked.
n. a variety of summer squash with a smooth, dark green skin and pale yellow flesh. It is a common ingredient in Mediterranean and North American cuisines.
I bought a zucchini to make a fresh salad.
The chef sliced the zucchini thinly and sautéed it with garlic to serve as a side dish.
While often dismissed as a vegetable of necessity, zucchini is actually a versatile ingredient that can be grilled, baked, or spiralized into a healthy alternative to pasta.
Borrowed from Italian zucchini, plural of zucchino, diminutive of zucca (“squash”). Ultimately related to courgette through the original Latin cucurbita. Compare Sicilian cucuzza.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Last updated May 18, 2026