In Italian a large strip of something is called afetta, a little strip of something is called afettucina, and many little strips of something are called fettuccine. For this reason, a bowl full of little strips of pasta came to be called fettuccine. The particular dish known as fettuccine Alfredo—or technically fettuccine all’Alfredo—takes the last half of its name from Alfredo Di Lelio, a restaurateur in Rome during the early decades of the twentieth century. The word fettuccine rapidly established itself in English after Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks visited Alfredo’s restaurant in 1927 and dubbed the owner “The King of the Noodles.”
The Italian noodle you are referring to is called “fettuccine”. It is a flat, ribbon-shaped noodle that is about 4 inches wide. Fettuccine is one of the most well-known Italian noodles, along with tagliatelle. While it can be found dried, it is generally considered to be better when made fresh. Fettuccine is delicious when tossed with butter and grated Parmesan cheese, but its most famous preparation involves tossing it with butter, cream, and cheese. This dish is often served tableside in restaurants, and is known as fettuccine Alfredo.