It should come as no real surprise that the same word can have different meanings in separate languages. However, it is a bit odd that the English "biscotti" — a phrase clearly taken from Italian — has a somewhat unique definition in the United States compared to Italy.

In the good old U.S. of A., "biscotti" refers to "a crisp cookie or biscuit of Italian origin that is flavored usually with anise and [hazelnuts] or almonds." However, for the Italians, in their homeland, "biscotti" directly translates to "cookies," a catch-all term for that broad category of pastry.