LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininefirst declension

polenta

polenta f (genitive polentae)
Classical[pɔˈɫɛn.ta]Ecclesiastical[poˈlɛn.ta]

Meaning

  1. femininepearl barley, peeled-barley, hulled and crushed grain, groats
  2. femininebarley meal

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativepolentapolentae
genitivepolentaepolentārum
dativepolentaepolentīs
accusativepolentampolentās
ablativepolentāpolentīs
vocativepolentapolentae

pŏlenta, ae, f. (collat. form pŏlen-tum, i, n., Cael. Aur. Tard. 3, 2; so plur.: pŏlenta, ōrum, Macr. S. 7, 15) [perh. from πάλη = pollen],
I. peeled barley, pearl-barley: homines, qui polentam pinsitant, Plaut. As. 1, 1, 17; Cato, R. R. 168; Col. 6, 17, 18; Plin. 18, 7, 14, § 72; 24, 1, 1, § 3; 27, 8, 37, § 59; Ov. M. 5, 450; Pers. 3, 55; Vulg. Lev. 23, 14.

Origins

From or related to pollen. Cf. also Ancient Greek πάλη (pálē).

Italo-Dalmatian
  • Italianpolenta
  • Portuguesepolentafrom Venetan połenta
  • Cimbrianpultfrom Venetan połenta
Gallo-Romance
  • Catalanpolenta
Balkano-Romance
  • Aromanianpurintã
  • Aromanianpurindã
  • Aromanianpurintu
Rhaeto-Romance
  • Friulianpolente
Ibero-Romance
  • Asturianpulientes
  • Old Spanishpulienta
Borrowings
  • Middle Frenchpolente
  • Old Englishpolente

Quick answers

What does polenta mean in Latin?
polenta, a noun, means “pearl barley, peeled-barley, hulled and crushed grain, groats; barley meal”.
What is the genitive of polenta?
The genitive singular is polentae. polenta is feminine, first declension.
How do you pronounce polenta?
In classical Latin, [pɔˈɫɛn.ta]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [poˈlɛn.ta].