pita

¹ American  

[pee-tuh] / ˈpi tə /

noun

1. a round Middle Eastern flatbread that is often filled with meat, peppers, etc., to make a sandwich.

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pita ² American  

[pee-tuh] / ˈpi tə /

noun

1. a fiber obtained from plants of the genera Agave, Aechmea, etc., used for cordage, mats, etc.

2. any of these plants.

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pita British  

/ ˈpiːtə /

noun

1. any of several agave plants yielding a strong fibre See also istle

2. a species of pineapple, Ananas magdalenae, the leaves of which yield a white fibre

3. Also called: pita fibre.  the fibre obtained from any of these plants, used in making cordage and paper

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Etymology

Origin of pita¹

First recorded in 1935–40; from Modern Greek pḗtta, pítta, píta “bread, cake, pie”; further origin uncertain; perhaps from Greek peptós “cooked, baked”; perhaps from Modern Hebrew pittāh, pitāh, from Balkan Ladino pita “flat bread”; perhaps from Germanic, akin to Old High German bizzo, pizzo “bite, morsel”

Origin of pita²

First recorded in 1690–1700; from Latin American Spanish, from Quechua pita or Aymara p’ita

Explanation

Pita is a round, soft Middle Eastern flatbread. You can fill a pita with sandwich ingredients, or dip pieces of pita into hummus. Pita, made from wheat flour, is a staple in many cuisines, including Greek, Syrian, and Lebanese. It's usually cooked at high heat, often in a wood-fired oven, and it puffs up during baking. These puffy layers are what make pita form a "pocket" that can be stuffed with falafel or other tasty ingredients.

Example Sentences

It doesn't take an insurance exec, hospital admin, legislator, or physician to tell me why, or what to do about this PITA.

From New York Times • Jan. 17, 2017