pizzaiolo

noun

piz·za·io·lo ˌpēt-sə-ˈyō-(ˌ)lō

plural pizzaiolos or pizzaioli ˌpēt-sə-ˈyō-lē

: a pizza maker

According to one pizzaiolo ("dude who slings pizzas"), one should "always come for a pizza either before 8 pm or after 10 pm when the pizzeria is half-empty" for an optimum slice of pie.—Madison Dapcevich

A16 is known for its Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizzas from certified pizzaiolo, Chef Christopher Thompson, along with other signature dishes …—Alexis Korman

We chatted with some of the best pizzaioli in the country for tips on how to grill pizza in the summer, without making a mess or burning everything.—Ximena Larkin

compare pizzaiola

Examples of pizzaiolo in a Sentence

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

But the pizzaiolo apron a tough canvas piece that holds up to more than a few stray tomato sauce spills. — Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026 Via Materdei 27/28 The expansive Enzo Coccia, the first pizzaiolo to obtain Michelin recognition and a true pioneer of the modern pizza movement in Naples, has three outlets on the same street in a non-touristy area of Vomero. — Nicky Swallow, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Sep. 2026 Concettina ai Tre Santi Young pizzaiolo Ciro Oliva transformed his family’s historic pizzeria in Rione Sanità into a buzzy destination for pizza aficionados and gained a bit of a cult following in the process. — Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2026 As with the original, the menu will center on (award-winning) square and round pies care of pizzaiolo Chris Decker. — Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 17 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pizzaiolo

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Italian pizzaiolo, pizzaiuolo "person who makes and sells pizzas," from pizza pizza + -aiolo, -aiuolo, suffix of occupations, from -aio, suffix of agency and appurtenance (going back to Latin -ārius -ary entry 1) + -olo, -uolo, diminutive suffix (going back to Latin -eolus, -iolus)

Note: Probably originally a word in Neapolitan dialect; cf. pizzaiòla, pizzaiuólo in Antonio Altamura, Dizionario dialettale napoletano (Naples, 1956), p. 183. The suffix, however, with loss of r in the original sequence -ri̯-, is apparently of Tuscan origin.

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of pizzaiolo was in 1930

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pizzaiola

pizzaiolo

pizzazz

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Style

“Pizzaiolo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pizzaiolo. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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pizzaiolo

noun

Examples of pizzaiolo in a Sentence

Word History

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