English Explanatory Dictionary

piece

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A part of a larger whole, usually in such a form that it is able to be separated from other parts.
  2. A single item belonging to a class of similar items.
  3. One of the figures used in playing chess, specifically a higher-value figure as distinguished from a pawn; (by extension) those with which draughts, backgammon, and other similar board games are played.
  4. A coin, especially one valued at less than the principal unit of currency.
  5. An artistic creation, such as a painting, sculpture, musical composition, literary work, etc.
  6. An article published in the press.
  7. An artillery gun.
  8. A gun.
  9. A toupee or wig, especially when worn by a man.
  10. A slice or other quantity of bread, eaten on its own; a sandwich or light snack.
  11. A sexual encounter; from piece of ass or piece of tail.
  12. A shoddy or worthless object (usually applied to consumer products like vehicles or appliances).
verb
  1. To assemble (something real or figurative).
  2. To make, enlarge, or repair, by the addition of a piece or pieces; to patch; often with out.
  3. To produce a work of graffiti more complex than a tag.
  4. To eat small quantities of food between meals; to snack; to take small or intermittent bites at a food item.

Pronunciation

pēs /piːs/ en-us-piece.ogg

Word forms

piece pieces peece piecing pieced

Etymology

From Middle English pece, peece, peice, from Old French piece, from Late Latin petia, pettia, possibly from Gaulish *pettyā, from Proto-Celtic *kʷezdis (“piece, portion, quota”). Compare Welsh peth, Breton pez (“thing”), Irish cuid. Compare French pièce, Portuguese peça, Spanish pieza, Italian pezza, Italian pezzo.

Synonyms

bit chip chunk clip crumb crumbling cutting flake fleak fragment hunk lump mammock ort piece piecemeal portion scrap scraplet slice snead snippet steck component part aspect game piece composition musical composition musical piece musical work piece of music work of music binky bink bo-bo comforter dodie dummy nookie paci pippy soother nosh nibble eat have fret

Related words

chunk bit peace asunder broken board game piece modicum

Derived words

afterpiece all in one piece altarpiece apiece apieces arm-piece armpiece art piece artpiece backpiece bail-piece bailpiece battle piece bedpiece bits and pieces bonnet piece broadpiece by the piece cane piece centerpiece centrepiece character piece cheekpiece chess piece chess-piece chestpiece chimneypiece chimney piece chimney-piece chinpiece codpiece companion piece conepiece conversation piece cornerpiece counterpiece court piece creampuff piece cream puff piece crosspiece crownpiece crown piece depiece differential piece work dime piece doating-piece dome piece dome-piece earpiece end piece eye-piece eyepiece face piece fairy piece fashioning piece fashion piece fieldpiece five-piece door flowerpiece forepiece
This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.
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