# pita

Pronunciation: US say "PEE-tuh" /ˈpiːtə/; UK say "PIT-uh" /ˈpɪtə/

## Noun

1. A flat, round bread, often with a hollow pocket, used to hold fillings for sandwiches such as gyros or falafel.
   - Simple: A round, flat bread that can open into a pocket and hold fillings like meat or salad.
   - _The cook sliced open the pita and packed it with lamb and tzatziki._
   - _A fresh pita puffs up as it bakes, leaving an airy pocket inside._
2. A fiber taken from Agave americana and related plants, used for making cordage and paper. (pronounced: say "PEE-tuh" /ˈpiːtə/)
   - Simple: A strong plant fiber from the agave, used to make rope and paper.
   - _Craftsmen twisted lengths of pita into cord strong enough to haul timber._
   - _Mills once turned pita into rough sheets of writing material._
3. An agave, especially Agave americana, that yields the fiber used for cordage and paper. (pronounced: say "PEE-tuh" /ˈpiːtə/)
   - Simple: The agave plant that gives a strong fiber used to make rope and paper.
   - _Rows of pita lined the dry hillside, their tall flower stalks rising above the brush._
   - _Each pita stores enough water in its fleshy leaves to survive long droughts._

## Origin

**Meaning 1** — From Greek πίτα (píta, "pie"). It is a doublet of pide and pizza.
**Meanings 2–3** — Borrowed from Spanish pita ("century plant").

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/pita (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).