Slangora

scungilli

An Italian-American culinary term for whelk or conch — large, chewy sea snails that feature prominently in southern Italian and Italian-American seafood dishes.

skənˈd͡ʒili252 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🗺️ Regional & Other
2 definitions
Community

Definitions

#1·Apr 28, 2026

An Italian-American culinary term for whelk or conch — large, chewy sea snails that feature prominently in southern Italian and Italian-American seafood dishes. 'Scungilli' is especially associated with the Feast of the Seven Fishes, the traditional Italian Christmas Eve meal, and is often served marinated in lemon, olive oil, and herbs. The word is standard vocabulary in New York and New Jersey Italian-American communities.

His grandmother always made scungilli salad on Christmas Eve, and the smell alone took him straight back to her kitchen.
Origin: From Neapolitan Italian 'sconciglio,' meaning conch or whelk. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora (model-assisted, hedged).
For parents

"scungilli" means: An Italian-American culinary term for whelk or conch — large, chewy sea snails that feature prominently in southern Italian and Italian-Amer.... This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

"scungilli" means: An Italian-American culinary term for whelk or conch — large, chewy sea snails that feature prominently in southern Italian and Italian-Amer.... Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. Note the regional or dialect label (American) — usage may sound odd outside that variety. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.

Cluster: normal
Was this helpful?

Comments

#2·Apr 27, 2026

(US) , especially when prepared as food.

Was this helpful?

Comments

For specific readers

"scungilli" means: An Italian-American culinary term for whelk or conch — large, chewy sea snails that feature prominently in southern Italian and Italian-Amer.... This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.

Why is this section here?

Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.

Have a better definition?

Add your own interpretation of "scungilli".

Add definition

🗺️About Regional & Other slang

Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.

See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.

Tags

Other words near "scungilli" (S)

Browse all slang words starting with S.

Related terms

People also read

Semantically related