macaroni

n.; pl. Macaronis or Macaronies. [ Prov. It. macaroni, It. maccheroni, fr. Gr. &unr_; happiness, later, a funeral feast, fr. &unr_; blessed, happy. Prob. so called because eaten at such feasts in honor of the dead; cf. Gr. &unr_; blessed, i. e., dead. Cf. Macaroon. ] 1. Long slender tubes made of a paste chiefly of a wheat flour such as semolina, and used as an article of food; a form of Italian pasta. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ A paste similarly prepared is largely used as food in Persia, India, and China, but is not commonly made tubular like the Italian macaroni. Balfour (Cyc. of India). [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A medley; something droll or extravagant. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A sort of droll or fool. [ Obs. ] Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A finical person; a fop; -- applied especially to English fops of about 1775, who affected the mannerisms and clothing of continental Europe. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. pl. (U. S. Hist.) The designation of a body of Maryland soldiers in the Revolutionary War, distinguished by a rich uniform. W. Irving. [ 1913 Webster ]