Neapolitan describes something from Naples, a vibrant coastal city in southern Italy. When you see this word, you're usually encountering one of Naples's famous contributions to the world.

Most often, you'll see it describing Neapolitan ice cream, those rectangular blocks with three flavors layered side by side: chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. The name connects to Naples because Italian immigrants brought their ice cream traditions to America, though Neapolitans in Italy don't actually eat this exact three-flavor combination.

The word also describes Neapolitan pizza, the original pizza style invented in Naples. A true Neapolitan pizza has a thin, soft crust with slightly charred spots, topped simply with tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, and olive oil. When pizza makers follow traditional Neapolitan methods, they're honoring techniques perfected in Naples.

You might also encounter Neapolitan music (traditional songs from Naples), Neapolitan dialect (the local way of speaking Italian), or references to Neapolitan culture. The city has given the world so many distinctive things that its name became an adjective for its characteristic style and flavors.