Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Pizza.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In solmization, a syllable once used for Bь.
  • noun An intensive or augmentative prefix sometimes used in forming modern scientific words to emphasize the character or quality noted by the element to which it is prefixed (like E. very, a.), as in zalambdodont, having teeth with a very V-shaped ridge, Zalophus, Zamelodia, Zapus, etc.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Min.) An old solfeggio name for B flat; the seventh harmonic, as heard in the or æolian string; -- so called by Tartini. It was long considered a false, but is the true note of the chord of the flat seventh.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun obsolete A syllable formerly used in solfège to represent B flat.
  • noun US slang, early 1980s Pizza.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Shortening and alteration of pizza.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

This definition is lacking an etymology or has an incomplete etymology. You can help Wiktionary by giving it a proper etymology.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Shortened from pizza.

Support

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Examples

  • For the herbal flavor in za'atar blend, many North American recipes use only dried domestic thyme, or a mixture of domestic thyme and domestic marjoram.

    All About Za'atar with Recipe for Za'atar Herb Blend and 5 Recipes for Using Za'atar Laurie Constantino 2009

  • The epicenter of great 'za is Wooster Square in New Haven, Connecticut.

    No Canadian bacon and pineapple! (Jack Bog's Blog) 2009

  • For the herbal flavor in za'atar blend, many North American recipes use only dried domestic thyme, or a mixture of domestic thyme and domestic marjoram.

    Archive 2009-02-01 Laurie Constantino 2009

  • The following herbs are often mistakenly referred to as za'atar: Syrian oregano (oreganum syricum), biblical hyssop, and thyme-leaved savory (satureja thryba), among others.

    What is Za'atar? Mercedes 2008

  • The following herbs are often mistakenly referred to as za'atar: Syrian oregano (oreganum syricum), biblical hyssop, and thyme-leaved savory (satureja thryba), among others.

    Archive 2008-05-01 Mercedes 2008

  • The most recent update, the fourth version, made way for "za" and its ilk, making the rare letters easier to play.

    Price Drop: Stocks, Homes, Now Triple-Word Scores 2009

  • For some -- especially opponents -- "za" is too cheap and easy.

    Price Drop: Stocks, Homes, Now Triple-Word Scores 2009

  • Sumac is sometimes incorporated into spice rubs, such as za'atar, which also consists of thyme, salt and toasted sesame seeds.

    Archive 2008-06-01 Shaun 2008

  • Now I've got a craving for some zayt w'za'atar like you described......i know what's for dinner tonight!

    What is Za'atar? Mercedes 2008

  • Radka szanuje i smialo moge stwierdzic, ze polubilam, wiec oby zawsze im to sloneczko swiecilo, ktore dzis im swieci. to jest Jego wybor, ale jesli jest rozsadny, to spojrzy na sprawe z roznych stron i chociaz jedno "za" i "przeciw" przemysli.

    - pozytywnie 2007

Comments

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  • Pizza, formed by clipping

    June 18, 2007

  • I've never heard this one before! People actually say this? Hmm. Wouldn't think it would be so hard to pronounce a five-letter word that it would need clipping.

    June 20, 2007

  • Yes, I heard it a few months ago from my 20-something niece. When I commented on it later, I was given to believe that everyone but me knew about this. Good to know I have company.

    June 20, 2007

  • Certainly no offense to your niece or anyone else who says it, but this word is stupid and lazy. The word. Not the people. What's wrong with just saying pizza?

    June 20, 2007

  • This twenty-something says pizza.

    June 20, 2007

  • I just thought it was amusing, especially since it turns out not to be a new term. It it lazy, or is it a self-conscious affectation? People do use language to have fun, to identify with their particular group, etc.

    June 20, 2007

  • I'm just trying to imagine how it's pronounced. Is it "zuh" or is it "ZAH!!!"? I guess the latter could be fun, but it's better suited as a goofy exclamation than another word for pizza. I think.

    If I were to abbreviate pizza, I'd probably go with pize or something.

    June 20, 2007

  • puh-zizzle!!!

    June 20, 2007

  • Now that I could get into! :-P

    June 20, 2007

  • zah. Not an exclamation. Intoned in a low voice, with a shrug...let's just get some za.

    June 20, 2007

  • My parents always thought that saying "za" made them pretty cool (despite all assurances to the contrary). When they pronounced it, it was more of a "zAH!"...

    June 20, 2007

  • Puh-zizzle?? Puh-leeze! ;-)

    I don't know. Za just doesn't sound right. (How vague of me.) If that makes me sound old--well, so be it.

    Signed,

    The Ancient One

    June 20, 2007

  • Me too, reesettee. I will leave the "za" for the young 'uns, and amuse myself by observing. I will, however, take the pizza, thank you. Currently margarita is my favorite--I will leave the pepporoni and suchlike for the young 'uns too.

    Nota bene: I do not really say things like "suchlike" I don't want to be dismisunderstood. It is only a persona.

    June 20, 2007

  • Slumry, I presume you're talking about margarita the pizza, not the drink? I've always seen it spelled margherita when referring to pizza. Then again, I've also seen marguerita.

    Of course, we could solve that by just calling them all rita. ;-)

    June 20, 2007

  • Thanks--I wondered about that as I sent it off; I think I have seen it without the h, but as you say, we see all sorts of things! I don't think I have ever written that word before.

    June 20, 2007

  • I like margaritas too.

    June 20, 2007

  • p. s. Would you care for a 'rita with your 'rita?

    June 20, 2007

  • Yum!

    June 20, 2007

  • it's an official scrabble word. therefore, obviously it is rife with legitimacy.

    May 30, 2008

  • I used the word in college (about thirty years ago), but assumed it had an apostrophe: "Let's get some 'za with 'shrooms."

    June 1, 2008

  • "za is also a mode of a pungent and personal sexual insult leading to physical aggression including shooting poisoned arrows among the !Kung people." Before the Dawn by Nicholas Wade.

    April 13, 2012

  • Further proof that it's perfectly acceptable as a Scrabble word.

    April 13, 2012