We all love pizza—but have you ever wondered why it’s called “pizza” in the first place? In this video, we dig deep into the history of the word, from its earliest roots in 10th-century Italy to how it spread worldwide without ever changing its name.
Discover how a simple flatbread became one of the most iconic foods on Earth—and why that short, snappy word stuck with it through centuries of history. 🍕
Timestamps:
0:00 – Intro: Why do we call it “pizza”?
1:07 – Pizza in everyday life
1:50 – The earliest written record (997 CE)
2:44 – What “pizza” originally meant
3:40 – The word’s etymology: Latin pinsa and Greek pitta
4:51 – The sound of the word “pizza”
5:31 – Why the name stuck globally
6:09 – The Margherita pizza and Italian identity
6:43– “Pizza” in different languages
7:22 – Closing thoughts
#PizzaHistory #WhyIsItCalledPizza #FoodOrigins #HistoryOfFood #Etymology #italianfood
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www.youtube.com/@HistoryofFoodChannel
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www.youtube.com/@TheStoryofAnimalsChannel
🍿 Histories and Biographies:
www.youtube.com/@HistoriesandBiographies
🍿 Explaining Everything:
www.youtube.com/@ExplainingEverythingChannel
🍿 STRUCTURE: BEYOND
www.youtube.com/@STRUCTURE_BEYOND
Video edited by: Daniela C.
34 Comments
Having traveled around the world some, the one word that seems to be the most universal is Taxi.
It could be "Pitica", a small pie. That would be in Serbian.
Pita is a pie.
Pitica is a diminutive of Pita.
It's not super frequently used but could be a clue.
PitiCa if spelled differently as PitiZa sounds practically the same – c and z
So Pitica or Pitiza could be Pit(i)za or Pitza or Piza/Pizza
Whatever the origins of pizza or how it’s made, it’s something people from all cultures enjoy. What really matters isn’t just the toppings or the dough, but the way it’s baked and brought together.
Breakfast of Champions!!!
COS ITS A PIZZA DIS AND A PIZZA DAT ?
Can you make a video on sausages, and how it came to be?
And if you already have, I haven't seen it yet.
Thank you
The modern pizza as we know it in 2025 really started in New York City at the beginning of the 20th Century, when places like Lombardi's Pizza in New York City (and few other pizza restaurants in the same neighborhood about the same time period) created the New York style pizza.
Have you ever heard Pizza in Portuguese?
Pizza in Italian means (pie)
I think pinsa is the origin of the word pizza.
My question is "why do you call it pie?" I never hear pizza referred to as 'pie' anywhere else but USA
If you enjoyed this video, please check out our other "binge-able" channels:
🍿 Bento's Story Box:
http://www.youtube.com/@BentosSynopsisBox
🍿 History of Food
http://www.youtube.com/@HistoryofFoodChannel
🍿 The Story of Animals
http://www.youtube.com/@TheStoryofAnimalsChannel
🍿 Histories and Biographies:
http://www.youtube.com/@HistoriesandBiographies
🍿 Explaining Everything:
http://www.youtube.com/@ExplainingEverythingChannel
🍿 STRUCTURE: BEYOND
http://www.youtube.com/@STRUCTURE_BEYOND
Video edited by: Daniela C.
It comes from the Levant area Pita bread!
What is the Italian word for pizza?
Marco Pollo brought the first pizza back to Italy from China. When the Pope sampled it he requested more starting the tradition that when you order pizza to be delivered it arrives cold.😮😢😂
An Arbitrary circle with a radius of “z” has an “AREA -a” such that: Pi z z = a
There for: Pi z z a
It’s called pizza cause it’s yummy 😋
Why is it called pizza? Because it's FRIDAY!
Pizza is my second favorite food.
You just narrated that certain history about pizza, Can you discuss how people argue what's the best flavor they should order, wasting time before they can order. Here with us in the Philippines we have all the standard versions of all the toppings here in every cities, but we also have different flavours like " The Laing, the Dinuguan, and the Adobo" and more. Particularly those newly opened pizza store outlets are applying our native dishes l mentioned.
I am surprised that you never mentioned the tomato ingredient in pizza and what did the Italians use to make pizza before tomatoes were introduced into Europe during a very recent period in time. Also, the Lebanese have been making what you call pizza today for more than 3000 years ago with cheese, zaatar, or meat and vegetables. They used many varieties of sweet and sour paste long before tomatoes were introduced. But to be fair, they didn't name it pizza.
I say the toppings that belong in a pizza are the toppings that you decide and want on it.
Pizza mean pie
Great video, very informative, as always. Where does the name "gnocchi" come from and what does it mean? Thanks again and keep your awesome videos coming!!! ❤
It originated in ancient Carthage long before Rome wasn't even a village. Carthage today Tunisia, in the southern Tunisia deep in the desert to this day they make dough and burry it in the fire. Once cooked its topped with cheese, dried tomato goat cheese and a drizzle of extra Virgin olive oil which Tunisia is renowned for. Remember Tunisia is older Than Italy. The formation of the modern Italian state began in 1861.
Der Ursprung von Pizza liegt in Griechenland. Dort ist der Name für Brot nämlich Pita. Von Pita zu Pizza ist es nicht weit.
Naples Italy
No just melted cheese… but Mozzarella only or you did no call it Pizza no more!
In italy in several regions we still use "Pizza Bianca" "White Pizza" and Pizza Rossa" "Red Pizza" to distinguish the one without sauce but with coarse salt and rosemary from the one with only tomato or tomato and mozzarella….
Now tell us why a certain bread is called focaccia?
The reason pizza is so popular in the U.S. is bcz of WW2. The GIs in Italy liked it and developed a taste 4 it.
However, pizza was only available in Italian neighborhoods until after WW2.😊
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We all know about the leaning tower of Pizza? I heard Pizza is where pizza originated.A peasant food.Fact or fiction?😊