Ciabatta is the Italian word for slipper, which is sort of how this bread got its name. Ciabatta is characterized by huge holes. It's almost more hole than bread.

The way you get huge holes is by having a very wet dough. The dough is so wet, it's nearly impossible to shape. At some point a long time ago someone in Italy said the :"shaped" loves looked like slippers, thus ciabatta.