pizza

American  

[peet-suh] / ˈpit sə /

noun

pizzas plural

1. a flat, open-faced baked pie of Italian origin, consisting of a thin layer of bread dough topped with spiced tomato sauce and cheese, often garnished with anchovies, sausage slices, mushrooms, etc.

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pizza British  

/ ˈpiːtsə /

noun

1. a dish of Italian origin consisting of a baked disc of dough covered with cheese and tomatoes, usually with the addition of mushrooms, anchovies, sausage, or ham

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• pizzas
  plural

Etymology

Origin of pizza

1930–35; < Italian pizza (variant pitta ), perhaps ultimately < Greek; Cf. pḗtea bran, pētítēs bran bread

Explanation

Pizza is a round, baked crust topped with melted cheese and tomato sauce. If you order a slice of pepperoni, you must like pizza. Pizza was an Italian invention, but over the years it's become extremely popular all around the world. The first recorded use of the word pizza (literally "pie" in Italian) was in the tenth century, in a Latin document that stipulated delivery of duodecim pizze, or "twelve pizzas" to a certain bishop on Christmas Day. Pizza as we know it today was created in Naples sometime during the nineteenth century.

Example Sentences

Still, executives expressed optimism during the earnings call about things like Totino’s pizza crusts and seasoned pizza rolls, as well as Asian- and Mexican-inspired snacks.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 1, 2026

One recurring theme has been ranch dressing, which some visitors have described with a mixture of fascination and disbelief as it appears on everything from fries to pizza to salads.

From Salon • Jun. 28, 2026

And as pop music by Calvin Harris and Sean Kingston played over speakers, many huddled in food courts to snack on traditional American cuisine: pizza and burgers.

From Barron's • Jun. 27, 2026

“Actually, while that bit is about my concerns about homophobia, I really love pineapple on pizza now and so it’s really just propaganda for pineapple on pizza,” he says, only half in jest.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 25, 2026

"Now can we please get some pizza? My stomach is rumbling like a runaway roller coaster!"

From "Sleepover Sleuths: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #1" by Carolyn Keene