2 syllables: Cal, zone. Stress on zone.
kal-ZOHN
/kælˈzoʊn/
Calzone is pronounced kal-ZOHN (/kælˈzoʊn/). It has two syllables (Cal-zone), with the stress on "zone". Calzone is a stuffed, folded pizza pocket of Italian origin. It’s typically filled with cheese, meats, and vegetables, then baked or fried, forming a semicircular turnover. As a food term borrowed into English, it’s used to denote this specific folded-calzone style rather than a slice of pizza.
nounCalzone is a stuffed, folded pizza pocket of Italian origin. It’s typically filled with cheese, meats, and vegetables, then baked or fried, forming a semicircular turnover. As a food term borrowed into English, it’s used to denote this specific folded-calzone style rather than a slice of pizza.
"I ordered a mushroom calzone with extra mozzarella."
"The calzone at the Italian market was oozing cheese and perfect dough."
"She shared a calzone recipe that folds the fillings inside a soft crust."
You pronounce it as /kælˈzoʊni/ (KAL-zoh-nee). The stress falls on the second syllable: 'zo' is the peak. Start with /k/ then /æ/ (as in cat), move to /l/ with a light tongue contact, then /ˈzoʊ/ where the vowel is a long o, and finish with /ni/. Mouth positions: lips neutral to slight rounding on the /oʊ/ vowel, tongue tip near the lower teeth for /l/, and a clean, crisp /n/ before /i/. You can listen for native pacing in menus or YouTube tutorials to confirm rhythm.
Two common errors are stressing the first syllable (KAL-zoh-nee) instead of the second, and mispronouncing the /z/ as /s/ or blending the /zo/ into /zoʊ/ with a shortened vowel. Correct by aiming for secondary syllable emphasis on /zoʊ/ and keeping a clear /z/ sound before the long /oʊ/. Practice with slow repetition: /kæl/ + /ˈzoʊ/ + /ni/, ensuring the /l/ is light and the /oʊ/ is full rather than a lax /o/.
In US English, /kælˈzoʊni/ with rhoticity allowing a neutral /r/ but not present here. In UK English, the /z/ remains voiced, and the /oʊ/ can be realized closer to /əʊ/ in some speakers, giving /kælˈzəʊni/. Australian pronunciation often aligns with UK vowels but can be slightly flatter; /ˈzəʊ/ or /ˈzoʊ/ varies by speaker. The main difference is vowel quality in the /oʊ/ diphthong and the placement of the second syllable stress; the rhythm remains trochaic with emphasis on /zoʊ/.
The difficulty lies in the two-part structure: a stressed second syllable with a long /oʊ/ diphthong and the delicate /z/ preceding it. English speakers may inadvertently shorten /ˈzoʊ/ to /zo/ or misplace stress on the first syllable. The Italian phonemes /k/ and /l/ must flow into a light /z/ and a clear /ni/. Focusing on a crisp /z/ before the long /oʊ/ and ending with a soft 'ee' helps maintain accuracy.
No silent final e here; the word ends with /i/ as in 'knee.' The final /e/ is not pronounced separately in standard English; it’s the vowel that carries the /i/ sound. Ensure the final syllable lands on /ni/ with a clear high-front vowel; avoid dropping the /i/ or turning it into a schwa.
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Calzone comes from Italian calzone, a diminutive of calza, meaning 'stocking' or 'stocking shape,' related to the folding of dough. The term originated in Italy, where calzone referred to a folded pizza or turnover as far back as the 18th century in rustic cuisine. In Italian, calzone is a noun with feminine form calzone (plural calzoni). The English adoption shifted spelling and capitalization to Calzone and used it to denote the specific pocketed pizza creation, distinguishing it from a conventional flat pizza. The concept of folding dough to enclose fillings is ancient in Italian street food (focaccia variations) and appears across Mediterranean cooking. In modern culinary usage, calzone is widely associated with a semicircular, sealed crust idea, often containing cheese, tomato, and meats, sometimes with ricotta or mozzarella, and baked until golden.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Calzone" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Calzone"
-one sounds
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