pizza

American  

[peet-suh] / ˈpit sə /

noun

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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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

Others suggest jazzing up plain pizza with sprinkles of oregano, red pepper flakes and umami seasoning.

From Salon • May 30, 2026

“I’ve tried many many brands of frozen pizza, like it was a hobby to figure out which one was the best. My wife and I just keep coming back to Freschetta,” says one Redditor.

From Salon • May 30, 2026

Americans already ranch with foods like pizza and chicken tenders.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

A few pieces of equipment are needed before you begin: a pizza steel or stone, a digital scale and an oven that can reach at least 500 degrees.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

Some people thought the fire was part of the presentation, especially when Mr. Santoro showed up with all his leftover pizza and handed it out free.

From "The Best School Year Ever" by Barbara Robinson