pizza

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Pizza is the normal everyday word for this baked round dish with cheese and toppings. Pie can sometimes mean pizza in informal American English, but it is regional and can also mean a sweet baked food, so it is less clear. Flatbread is a broader word for thin bread and may not have tomato sauce, cheese, or pizza-style toppings at all. Calzone is related, but it is folded over and closed, so it is not the same shape as a pizza. To remember the difference, say We ordered two pizzas for the party, but The cafe also sells warm flatbread and one beef calzone.

Common collocations

Etymology

Pizza came into English from Italian pizza. The Italian word was already used many centuries ago, but its older origin is uncertain. English kept the Italian form, and the word later spread around the world as the usual name for this dish.