pizza
A1Pronunciation
UK
- /pˈiːtsə/
US
- /ˈpitsə/
Description
- Savory baked flatbread
- Dish with toppings
- Italian origin
- Often sold by the slice
Pizza is a baked dish that started in Italy. It is usually made with a flat round base of dough and topped with things like tomato sauce, cheese, meat, or vegetables. People use the word for many styles, from thin crust to deep-dish, and it is often eaten hot and shared with others. In everyday English, people talk about ordering it, grabbing a slice, or having it for dinner at home, at a party, or with friends.
Pizza began as a simple, affordable food in Naples, Italy. At its core, it is a baked flatbread made from dough and covered with toppings. The most familiar version uses tomato sauce and cheese, but the word is also used for many other versions with meats, vegetables, herbs, oils, or different sauces. It may be round or rectangular, thick or thin, and it is often cut into slices before serving.
In modern English, pizza usually refers to the food itself, but it also brings to mind a very common social experience. People order it for family dinners, school events, office lunches, game nights, and casual gatherings because it is easy to share. Common phrases such as "pizza night," "order a pizza," and "grab a slice" show how ordinary and widespread the food is in daily life.
The meaning of the word is straightforward: it names a well-known dish rather than a broad feeling or idea. Still, the word can carry a warm, familiar tone because the food is strongly linked with comfort, convenience, and time spent with other people. Whether someone is talking about a classic cheese slice, a homemade pan version, or a regional style from another country, the word still points to the same basic kind of dish.
Examples
- 1
Dinner order
We ordered a large pizza for dinner.
- 2
Meal choice
Do you want pizza, or should I make pasta?
- 3
Leftover slice
There is one slice of pizza left in the box.
- 4
Toppings
What toppings do you want on your pizza?
- 5
After work
Let's go out for pizza after work.
- 6
Homemade food
The kids are making homemade pizza tonight.
- 7
Frozen food
I put a frozen pizza in the oven because I was too tired to cook.
- 8
Local restaurant
There's a new pizza place near the station.
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- pizzanoun
Forms
- pizzaspluralnoun