bolognese

bo·lo·gnese
B3O1L1O1G2N1E1S1E1
UK/ˌbɒləˈneɪz/UK/ˌbɒləˈnjeɪz/UK, proscribed/ˌbɒləɡˈneɪz/US/ˌboʊləˈniz/

noun

An Italian sauce made from ground meat and tomato, originating in Bologna.

“Handmade pasta bolognese.”

UncommonScrabble 12

Meanings

bolognese1

nounbolognese (countable and uncountable, plural bologneses)

plural bologneses · alternative UK bolognaise

  1. countableuncountableAn Italian sauce made from ground meat and tomato, originating in Bologna.

    Synonyms: Bolognese sauce, bol, meat sauce

  2. countableuncountableA dish served with bolognese.

    Handmade pasta bolognese.

    Synonyms: bol

Bolognese2

adjectiveBolognese (not comparable)
  1. not comparableOf, from or relating to the city of Bologna, capital and largest city of Emilia-Romagna, Italy, or the surrounding metropolitan city.
  2. not comparablestrictlyOf a pasta sauce, made from minced veal, pork and beef, onions, garlic, tomato, bay leaf, carrot and celery and wine.
  3. broadlynot comparableOf a pasta sauce, made from minced meat, tomato and any combination of other ingredients.
nounBolognese (plural Bolognese or Bologneses)

plural Bologneses

  1. collectivecountableA native or inhabitant of the city of Bologna, capital and largest city of Emilia-Romagna, Italy, or the surrounding metropolitan city.

    The Bologneses had built a castle on the Po, from whence they could molest the Venetians.

    1871, J. Schor, “Thirteenth Century”, in History of Venice from the Beginning down to the Present Time, Venice; Milan; Trieste: Colombo Coen, section 7 (New systems for the election of the Doge. […]), page 56
    4 more examples

    The victorious enemie marched towards Bolognia: And it is likely that the Pope and his aſſociates would haue done their beſt to haue diuerted him from that deſigne, fot it is certaine that Philip who had ſent for him from Tuſcanie, did openly fauour the Bologneſes.

    1612, “The Second Booke of the Third Decad of the Historie of Venice”, in W. Shute, transl., The Generall Historie of the Magnificent State of Venice. From the First Foundation Thereof untill This Present., London: […] G. Eld, and W. Stansby, translation of original by Thomas de Fougasses, page 339

    For when they went to fight againſt the Forleſes, that had kindly entertain’d ſome perſons whom they had baniſh’d; ’tis ſaid, eight thouſand of the Bologneſes were ſlain at one Sally from the Town. Upon which miſfortune ſome Cities of Romagna grew confident, and immediately revolted from the Bologneſes themſelves.

    1685, “Gregory X.”, in anonymous translator, edited by Paul Rycaut, The Lives of the Popes, from the time of our Saviour Jesus Christ, to the Reign of Sixtus IV., London: […] Christopher Wilkinson […], translation of [Vitæ Pontificum Platinæ historici liber de vita Christi ac omnium pontificum qui hactenus ducenti fuere et XX] by [Bartolomeo] Platina, page 280

    * Stra for Strada. The Bologneſe are very frugal in their Pronunciation; they ſeldom give you above half the Word.

    1730, Edward Wright, “Bologna”, in Some Observations Made in Travelling through France, Italy, &c. in the Years 1720, 1721, and 1722, London: […] Tho. Ward and E. Wicksteed, […], page 444

    Yet ſuch is the change of Italy, that Sigonius is corrected by the editor of Milan, Philippus Argelatus, a Bologneſe, and ſubject of the pope.

    1788, Edward Gibbon, chapter XLIX, in The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, volume V, London: […] W[illiam] Strahan; and T[homas] Cadell, […], →OCLC, page 104
  2. A dog of a small breed of the bichon type, originating in Italy.

    Although their appearance might suggest that they are playful and rather happygolucky dogs, Bologneses are among the most serious and intelligent of breeds.

    2012, Chas Newkey-Burden, The Dog Directory, Octopus

Synonyms & antonyms

nounAn Italian sauce made from ground meat and tomato, originating in Bologna.

nounA dish served with bolognese.

Similar

Origin

bolognese · noun

  1. Italianbolognese
  2. Englishbolognese

From Italian bolognese (literally “from Bologna”).

Full word history & related roots →

Bolognese · adjective, noun

  1. Italianbolognese
  2. EnglishBolognese

From Italian bolognese.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic بُولُونِيز, صَلْصَة بُولُونِيز
  • بُولُونِيز (būlūnīz)tomato- and ground meat-based sauce
  • صَلْصَة بُولُونِيز (ṣalṣat būlūnīz)tomato- and ground meat-based sauce
Basque boloniar
  • boloniarof or relating to Bologna
Catalan salsa bolonyesa, bolonyesa
  • salsa bolonyesatomato- and ground meat-based sauce
  • bolonyesatomato- and ground meat-based sauce
  • bolonyèsof or relating to Bologna
Chinese Cantonese 肉醬 /肉酱
  • 肉醬 /肉酱 (juk⁶ zoeng³)tomato- and ground meat-based sauce
Chinese Mandarin 肉醬 /肉酱, 番茄肉酱
  • 肉醬 /肉酱 (ròujiàng)tomato- and ground meat-based sauce
  • 番茄肉酱 (fānqié ròujiàng)tomato- and ground meat-based sauce
  • 肉醬麵 /肉酱面 (ròujiàng miàn)dish served with bolognese
  • 博洛尼亞的 /博洛尼亚的 (Bóluòníyà de)of or relating to Bologna
Czech boloňský, bolognský
  • boloňskýof or relating to Bologna
  • bolognskýof or relating to Bologna
Dutch Bolognees, Bolognezer
  • Bologneesof or relating to Bologna
  • Bolognezerof or relating to Bologna
Esperanto bolonjezo
  • bolonjezotomato- and ground meat-based sauce
Finnish bolognesekastike, bolognankastike
  • bolognesekastiketomato- and ground meat-based sauce
  • bolognankastiketomato- and ground meat-based sauce
  • bolognesetomato- and ground meat-based sauce
  • bolognesedish served with bolognese
  • bolognalainenof or relating to Bologna
French sauce bolognaise, bolognaise
  • sauce bolognaisetomato- and ground meat-based sauce
  • bolognaisetomato- and ground meat-based sauce
  • à la bolognaisedish served with bolognese
  • bolognaisof or relating to Bologna
German bolognesisch
  • bolognesischof or relating to Bologna
Greek μπολονέζ, μπολονέζ
  • μπολονέζ (bolonéz)tomato- and ground meat-based sauce
  • μπολονέζ (bolonéz)relating to culinary sauce
Hungarian bolognai
  • bolognaiof or relating to Bologna
Italian ragù alla bolognese, ragù bolognese
  • ragù alla bolognesetomato- and ground meat-based sauce
  • ragù bolognesetomato- and ground meat-based sauce
  • ragùtomato- and ground meat-based sauce
  • al ragùdish served with bolognese
  • alla bolognesedish served with bolognese
  • bologneseof or relating to Bologna
  • ragù alla bologneserelating to culinary sauce
Japanese ボロネーゼ, ミートソース
  • ボロネーゼ (boronēze)tomato- and ground meat-based sauce
  • ミートソース (mīto sōsu)tomato- and ground meat-based sauce
  • ボローニャの (Borōnya no)of or relating to Bologna
Korean 볼로네즈 소스, 볼로네즈
  • 볼로네즈 소스 (bollonejeu soseu)tomato- and ground meat-based sauce
  • 볼로네즈 (bollonejeu)tomato- and ground meat-based sauce
Latin bonōniēnsis
  • bonōniēnsisof or relating to Bologna
Polish sos bolognese, bolognese
  • sos bolognesetomato- and ground meat-based sauce
  • bolognesetomato- and ground meat-based sauce
  • spaghetti bolognesedish served with bolognese
  • bolońskiof or relating to Bologna
Portuguese molho à bolonhesa, à bolonhesa
  • molho à bolonhesatomato- and ground meat-based sauce
  • à bolonhesadish served with bolognese
  • bolonhêsof or relating to Bologna
Romanian bolognez
  • bolognezof or relating to Bologna
Russian болонье́зе, болонье́зе
  • болонье́зе (bolonʹjézɛ)tomato- and ground meat-based sauce
  • болонье́зе (bolonʹjézɛ)dish served with bolognese
  • боло́нский (bolónskij)of or relating to Bologna
  • болоньезе (bolonʹjeze)relating to culinary sauce
Slovak bolonský
  • bolonskýof or relating to Bologna
Spanish salsa boloñesa, boloñesa
  • salsa boloñesatomato- and ground meat-based sauce
  • boloñesatomato- and ground meat-based sauce
  • boloñésof or relating to Bologna
Swedish köttfärssås
  • köttfärssåstomato- and ground meat-based sauce
Ukrainian болонський
  • болонський (bolonsʹkyj)of or relating to Bologna
Vietnamese bolognese, bolognese
  • bologneserelating to culinary sauce
  • bolognesedog breed

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with bolognese

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

bolognese. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bolognese

MLA

“bolognese.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bolognese. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “bolognese,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bolognese.

Source: bolognese on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.