bologna: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal, Culinary
Quick answer
What does “bologna” mean?
A cooked, smoked sausage made of finely ground pork, beef, or a mixture, typically sliced and eaten cold.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A cooked, smoked sausage made of finely ground pork, beef, or a mixture, typically sliced and eaten cold.
Used idiomatically in North American English to mean "nonsense" or "baloney." Also refers to the large, ring-shaped type of sausage (mortadella) from Bologna, Italy.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The food item is rare in the UK, where similar products are called 'polony' or 'luncheon meat.' The word is almost exclusively known in the UK as the name of the Italian city (Bologna). The idiomatic use meaning nonsense is almost entirely North American.
Connotations
In the US, as food, it can have working-class or nostalgic connotations. As an idiom, it is mildly informal. In the UK, it primarily connotes the Italian city or university.
Frequency
High frequency in US English for the food and idiom. Very low frequency in UK English outside of geographical reference.
Grammar
How to Use “bologna” in a Sentence
That's (a load of/complete) bologna!to call bologna on somethingto slice/cut the bolognaVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bologna” in a Sentence
adjective
American English
- He gave me some bologna excuse about his car breaking down.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Only in historical/geographical/cultural contexts referring to Bologna, Italy.
Everyday
Common in US for food and casual dismissal of an idea. Rare in UK.
Technical
Used in food science/culinary contexts to describe a specific type of emulsified sausage.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “bologna”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “bologna”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bologna”
- Spelling it 'balogna.'
- Pronouncing it as /boʊˈloʊɡnə/ (like 'log' + 'na') in an American context.
- Using the idiomatic sense in formal writing.
- Assuming a British speaker will understand the food reference.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It's an anglicized pronunciation of the Italian city name 'Bologna,' where the sausage originated. In American English, the spelling was kept for the food item, but the pronunciation merged with the slang word 'baloney' meaning nonsense.
American bologna is a derivative of Italian mortadella. While similar, traditional mortadella from Bologna has specific Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status, uses higher-quality cuts, and includes visible cubes of fat, whereas American bologna is a more homogenized, mass-produced product.
Only if you are referring to the Italian city. The food term is casual, and the idiomatic use meaning 'nonsense' is firmly informal or slang and should be avoided in formal contexts.
Generally, no. They are familiar with the slang term 'baloney' (often spelled that way) through American media, but the spelling 'bologna' for nonsense is uncommon and would likely cause confusion, being primarily associated with the city.
A cooked, smoked sausage made of finely ground pork, beef, or a mixture, typically sliced and eaten cold.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “That's a bunch of bologna!”
- “Don't give me that bologna.”
- “It's all bologna.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the word 'baloney' (nonsense). It's spelled like the Italian city 'Bologna,' but in the US, both the sausage and the nonsense are pronounced 'buh-LO-nee.'
Conceptual Metaphor
NONSENSE IS CHEAP/FAKE MEAT (Extending from the idea that bologna is an inexpensive, processed imitation of finer meats).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would a US English speaker most likely use the word 'bologna'?