Slangora

Italian sandwich

(US, especially, Maine) A type of submarine sandwich consisting of Italian bread or French bread sliced lengthwise, filled with salami or ham with cheese and onion.

ɪˈtæljən ˈsændwɪt͡ʃDocumented since 1900s1900sSilenthistoricalCurrent49 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
Tech, Dev & AI
2 definitions
Community
Seen in the wild
3 citations · last seen May 2026

Etymology timeline

Born ~1903 · 1 year of recorded use
1903Born2026: 3 citationsToday, 2026

Seen in the wild

Definitions

#1·Apr 27, 2026

(US, especially, Maine) A type of submarine sandwich consisting of Italian bread or French bread sliced lengthwise, filled with salami or ham with cheese and onion.

Origin: The sandwich was invented in Portland, Maine, in 1903 by Giovanni Amato, an Italian-American baker. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents

"Italian sandwich" means: A type of submarine sandwich consisting of Italian bread or French bread sliced lengthwise, filled with salami or ham with cheese and onion.. 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

"Italian sandwich" means: A type of submarine sandwich consisting of Italian bread or French bread sliced lengthwise, filled with salami or ham with cheese and onion.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. Note the regional or dialect label (US) — 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

Heard in the wild
  • One of the treats of coming to Edinburgh I'd going to my favourite Hiberno-Italian sandwich shop for a bespoke crusty sandwich . All done with warmth and friendly humour . Oh and yes I had to have a IB and TC with it #ItsTheLaw

    Bluesky· May 2026
  • *making sure to shake my head as I take another bite of my Italian sandwich (lite on the mayo please) as I watch men do horrible things to others* "Disgusting, really. No, not the sandwich. The sandwich is divine."

    Bluesky· May 2026
Was this helpful?

Comments

#2·Apr 27, 2026

(US, loosely) Any submarine sandwich.

Heard in the wild
  • Me today after eating a massive Italian sandwich :3

    Bluesky· May 2026
Was this helpful?

Comments

For specific readers

"Italian sandwich" means: A type of submarine sandwich consisting of Italian bread or French bread sliced lengthwise, filled with salami or ham with cheese and onion.. 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 "Italian sandwich".

Add definition

About Tech, Dev & AI slang

The vocabulary of software engineers, AI researchers, and anyone living in a terminal or on GitHub — from LLM to MCP, CORS to vibe coding, agentic to enshittification.

See all Tech, Dev & AI slang on Slangora.

Tags

Other words near "Italian sandwich" (I)

Browse all slang words starting with I.

Related terms

People also read

Semantically related